Allium moly (golden garlic)

Japanese name: アリウム モリー
Scientific name: Allium moly

[Overview]
A perennial that forms a small bulb underground.
It has a smell similar to garlic and onion.
Two leaves arise from the base; they are broadly lanceolate, about 30 cm long and 5 cm wide, and tinged with bluish green.
A flower stalk 20–40 cm tall stands erect and bears an umbel at its tip.
The inflorescence is at first enclosed in bracts.
The flowers are bright yellow, with 6 tepals that open in a star shape, and are about 1 cm across.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by dividing the bulbs; when grown from seed, it takes several years from sowing to flowering.
It dislikes acidic soil.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained soil.
Take care that it does not become extremely dry; during the growing period, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Apply base fertilizer, and from spring until flowering give liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks.
The flower stalks stand tall, so plant it where it is sheltered from strong wind or set up supports.
If you are not collecting seed, cut the flower stalk at its base after flowering so that the plant does not tire.
When the leaves begin to wither, dig up the bulbs and store them in a shaded, well-ventilated place.
If the site is sunny and well drained, pests and diseases rarely occur.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)