I grow several allium species and cultivars in my garden and I find that many of them serve as a hub for a surprising range of pollinators. This is nodding onion (Allium cernuum), an easy to grow, multi-use plant that is native to Carolinian habitats (parts of Canada and the US, including right here in Southern Ontario). The flowers are a distinctly pale lavender colour with stems that bend or “nod,” giving it its common name. All of the parts are edible (flowers, leaves, and bulbs), which is one of many reasons why I don’t mind letting it self seed and spread in my garden. It’s also absolutely gorgeous, and as you can see (below), when grown in swaths, it appears as if the garden is dotted in ethereal, puffy, pom-poms.

This is a very tough and adaptable, disease-, insect-, and deer-resistant plant that will grow just about anywhere — from full sun to shade, rich soil to dry. Bulbs will rot in wet soil with poor drainage. It thrives in my full exposure urban garden and I’ve even grown it in pots on a roof. It is hardy between zones 3-8.

This year (2019) I am selling a very limited quantity of nodding onion seed through my seed shop.

The Details:

• Hardy USDA zones 3-8
• Prefers full sun exposure and well-draining soil, but very adaptable to a range of conditions.
• Blooms June/July.
• Native perennial.
• I never have issues with pests or disease. However, bulbs will rot in soggy soil.
• All parts are edible; however, it is advised not to over-do it with the bulbs. Use them sparingly as an herbal flavouring rather than in place of regular onions.
• Save seed once matured and dried on the seed-heads (they will be black), or allow it to self-sow.
• Container Growing: I’ve had success with this (and on a hot roof no less), but if you want to grow it as a perennial, I recommend a very large container, trough, or planter box.
• Growing from Seed: Direct sowing outdoors is the easiest way to go as it allows the seed coat to be cracked by shifting winter temperatures (freezing and thawing). However, you can mimic this process indoors by sowing seed onto a piece of moist paper towel or coffee filter sealed inside a plastic baggie or into small pots with seed-starting soil. Place in the fridge for 60 days. Once the cold period is up, place the pot (or baggie) in a warm spot. Germination can be slower than other alliums. Seedlings may be transplanted outdoors once the soil is workable and before the last frost as long as they are hardened off first (a process that prepares them for outdoor conditions).