Allium sphaerocephalon (Drumstick allium)

Drumstick allium is a European native, and is becoming naturalized in some areas of North America and invasive in many habitats. Its dramatic purple flowerheads are popular with gardeners.

Plants: These onion family members are like chives on steroids. Hollow, tubular stems about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) around reach heights of 1–3′ (30–91 cm).

Leaves: Clumps of cylindrical, hollow, grassy, gray-green leaves up to 1′ (35 cm) long.

Flowers: A long stalk (scape) supports a spherical or egg-shaped umbel about 1″ (2.5 cm) in diameter contains hundreds of tiny deep- or rose-purple flowers.

Fruits: Flowers turn to small seeds and are sometimes replaced by bulbils. They also spread by offsets.

Habitats: Native populations prefer river shores and meadows, while introduced populations favor fields, roadsides and vacant lots.

6/17/2010 · Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin)
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Amaryllidaceae	Amaryllis family—plants that grow from bulbs. Includes onions and many others
Genus	Allium	Onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, scallions, etc.
Species	sphaerocephalon	From Greek, σφαῖρα (sphaira), “sphere” or “ball,” and κεφαλή (kephalē), “head”, for the spherical flowerhead

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Range: Zones 5-9:

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