Allium

Japanese: アリウム - ありうむ

A general term for the Allium genus in the Liliaceae family (APG classification: Amaryllidaceae). It is a large genus with about 450 species in the Northern Hemisphere, including edible leeks, onions, garlic, and scallions. It is usually a bulbous plant planted in the fall, and about 40 species are cultivated for decorative purposes, with those whose flowers do not have a leek smell. It is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America, but those in North America are not cultivated and breeding has only progressed to the extent of dominant selection. It is cultivated for the beauty of its bulbs, and varieties with strong stems and long-lasting flowers are used as cut flowers, while those with short stems are used in pots or flower beds. The flowers are terminal globular umbels. Some large bulb species, which are bulbs rather than seeds, take several years to flower, while some small bulb species flower in the second year. Bulbs vary greatly, from the size of a little fingertip to large bulb species that can reach a circumference of up to 20 centimeters.

Commonly cultivated ornamental varieties include the following: Gigantium is a large bulb variety with a height of 1-1.5 meters and over 3,000 small blue-purple flowers clustered together. It blooms in June and is suitable for cut flowers and flower beds. Schwerti is a large bulb variety with a height of 30-40 centimeters and huge flowers with a diameter of 40 centimeters, and the flowers are a dark wisteria pink. The flowers are coarse and bloom in late May and are suitable for cut flowers. Sphaerocephalum is a small bulb variety with a height of about 1 meter and small red-purple flowers. It blooms in mid-June and is suitable for cut flowers. Calatabiense is a dwarf variety with medium-sized gray-green flowers. It blooms in mid-May and is suitable for potted plants and flower beds. Oleophyllum is a dwarf variety with small pink-red flowers. It blooms in late May and is suitable for potted plants.

[Torasaburo Kawabata January 21, 2019]

Cultivation

They prefer full sun and well-drained fertile soil, and are planted in October and November, with large bulb varieties spaced 15-30cm apart and small bulb varieties spaced about 3cm apart and deep. For regular soil, it is best to plough in about 200 grams of lime per square meter before planting, and apply a generous amount of oil cake as fertilizer. After flowering, the bulbs should be dug up once the stems and leaves have withered, placed in a net bag, and hung in the shade for storage.

[Torasaburo Kawabata January 21, 2019]

Allium gigantium
A representative variety cultivated for ornamental purposes. Around June, it produces bluish-purple globular umbels at the top of the stem. The inflorescence is densely packed with more than 3,000 small flowers. ©Seishohmaru ">

Allium gigantium

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ユリ科（APG分類：ヒガンバナ科）ネギ属の総称。北半球に約450種あるといわれる大きな属で食用のネギ、タマネギ、ニンニク、ラッキョウなども含まれる。普通は秋植えの球根草で、花にネギ臭のないものを観賞用とし、約40種ほどが栽培される。原産地はヨーロッパ、アジア、北アフリカ、北アメリカであるが、北アメリカのものは栽培されず品種改良も優性選抜程度しか進んでいない。ねぎ坊主の美しさを観賞するため栽培され、茎が強く花持ちのよい品種は切り花に、茎の短いものは鉢物または花壇用にされる。花は頂生の球状散形花。種子よりは球根の大球種になると開花までに数年を要するものもあり、また2年目に開花する小球性のものもある。球根は小指の先くらいのものから球周り20センチメートルにも達する大球種まで大差がある。

　よく栽培される観賞用品種として以下のものがある。ギガンチウムは草丈1～1.5メートル、青紫色の小花が3000個以上密集する大球種。6月咲きで、切り花、花壇向き。シュベルティは草丈30～40センチメートル、花球が径40センチメートルにも達する巨大花をつける大球種で、花色は暗藤桃色。花つきは粗く、5月下旬咲きで切り花向き。スファエロセファルムは草丈約1メートルで、赤紫色の小輪花をつける小球種。6月中旬咲きで切り花向き。カラタビエンセは灰緑色の中輪花をつける矮性(わいせい)種。5月中旬咲きで鉢植えおよび花壇用とする。オレオフィルムは桃紅色の小輪花をつける矮性種。5月下旬咲きで鉢植え用によい。

［川畑寅三郎　2019年1月21日］

栽培

日当り、排水のよい肥沃(ひよく)な土地を好み、大球種は15～30センチメートル間隔に、小球種は3センチメートルぐらいの間隔で深めに、10～11月に植える。普通の土なら1平方メートルに石灰を200グラムぐらい、植える前に鋤(す)き込むとよく、肥料は油かすを多めに施す。また球根は開花後に茎葉が枯れたら掘り上げ、網袋などに入れて、日陰につるして保管する。

［川畑寅三郎　2019年1月21日］

アリウム・ギガンチウム

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