Plant Database
perennial

Golden Garlic

Allium moly luteum

 

 
Golden Garlic (Allium moly luteum) at GardenWorks

Golden Garlic flowers

Golden Garlic flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Golden Garlic (Allium moly luteum) at GardenWorks

Golden Garlic flowers

Golden Garlic flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Plant Height:  6 inches

Flower Height:  8 inches

Spread:  12 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  3a

Other Names:  Flowering Onion, Lily Leek, Yellow Garlic

Description:

A lovely selection that produces bright yellow star-shaped blooms on tall stalks and fragrant grassy green foliage that stays throughout most of the summer; excellent for garden beds, borders and cut flowers; self-seeding, deadhead before seeds develop

Ornamental Features

Golden Garlic features dainty cymes of lightly-scented yellow flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. Its fragrant grassy leaves remain green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Garlic is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Self-Seeding

Golden Garlic is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Golden Garlic will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 8 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by multiplication of the underground bulbs.

Golden Garlic is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Rock  Edging  Garden  Naturalizing  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features


Disclaimer - This resource is provided for informational purposes only and does NOT reflect current availability. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact your favourite GardenWorks location directly for current availability. It does not include our entire inventory of plants, so be sure to visit GardenWorks to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.