Allium (Nectaroscordum) Siculum

This ornamental Allium is an heirloom favorite, treasured in Europe for more than 300 years! Just the thing for the water-saving garden, this carefree Allium shoots up 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall and erupts into a dozen or more colorful blooms in the sun-soaked garden! The flowers are distinctive, too — with a greenish-white base and heavy maroon markings, they resemble that winter-blooming favorite, the Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis).

A native of southern France and Sicily, this heirloom bulb has been a treasured feature of European gardens for centuries, and a single planting will convince you that it needs a permanent home in your landscape, too. The large bloom clusters arch elegantly atop very strong stems, sending the starry blooms cascading down and out for an eye-catching effect. Requiring very little summer moisture, it is content in any sunny spot.

Zones 4-9.