allium giganteum?

[pontus]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to find the true sp allium giganteum, which i believe looks like this :

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Allium_Giganteum_%283%29.jpg

small indibidual flowers on very compact, round balls on fairly tall stems. I have tried getting it in the past, but have only recieved from nurseries mislabelled small bulbs of globemaster....

i have other alliums, and other bulbs to offer in exchange...

Pontus

[bulborum]

Madness is over here
I will send you some real ones Pontus

[TheOnionMan]

I've not heard of this problem, unless it's a recent development in the bulb trade.  Perhaps if they run out of A. giganteum they substitute in a more desirable commodity thinking that they're giving the customer a better deal.  I haven't bought A. giganteum bulbs for some years now, but every time I did, it was indeed giganteum... I've grown 'Globemaster' too, so I'm familiar with the differences.

[bulborum]

The bulbs are so easy to recognise
that just people without knowledge can be fooled
as far as I know is there no shortness this year and last year in the trade
most swindlers replace A. giganteum with A. Gladiator so they can make a little profit extra
I saw last year in the catalogue from Jacques Briand   a picture from A. Globemaster
In tiny letters was written A. Purple Sensation
Amazing those people aren't fined for at least €100.000 every time they do this

[pontus]

Thank you Roland, that would be very nice

how many bulbs can you spare?

would you also have 2 big ambassador?

What also amuses me about allium giganteum is this image on the internet, where they try and show how big it is, and put a small child next to it...(they do the same with OT liliums, preteding they get as tall as trees, which is not really true, but of course, with a small short child next to them they look very tall!...but quite strange images)!. There is also an image where the unknowing gardener may be fooled into thinking that allium giganteum has nice glossy green leaves at flowering (but these start fading already when the plant is in bud). To fool you they have put what looks a bit like clivia leaves at the bottom of the alliums stems!

http://www.angliabulbs.com/allium-giganteum-p-41.html

there is also a firm (maybe dutch) that sells prepacked allium giganteum to a swiss garden centre with a picture of allium globemaster on the bag! so then you think ..do you believe the name on the packet or the image?.....

Pontus

[bulborum]

I have 100 bulbs left
Can you PM me a close up picture from the prepacked allium giganteum
there is a code from the supplier on

[TheOnionMan]

What also amuses me about allium giganteum is this image on the internet, where they try and show how big it is, and put a small child next to it...(they do the same with OT liliums, preteding they get as tall as trees, which is not really true, but of course, with a small short child next to them they look very tall!...but quite strange images)!. There is also an image where the unknowing gardener may be fooled into thinking that allium giganteum has nice glossy green leaves at flowering (but these start fading already when the plant is in bud). To fool you they have put what looks a bit like clivia leaves at the bottom of the alliums stems!

http://www.angliabulbs.com/allium-giganteum-p-41.html

Pontus

   That's pretty funny (although sadly, totally false advertising), I believe you are correct Pontus, they surely have used Clivia plants to give false impression of the Allium leaves.  In fact, my guess is, those Allium stems have been cut and are plunked into potted Clivia plants.

[pontus]

I just found a packet from a few years ago in my archives, which I had kept...I have scanned it so I will e mail it to you. it was indeed from holland, it even had the suppliers adress on it!

I have planned to do a special border for planting the giganteums, its a bit over 2 meters long by about 1 m wide. How many bulbs do you think I can fit in there?

you wouldnt have any spare camassia leichtlinii lying around by any chance?

yes the image is quite funny, as you say Mark, false advertising!...there is also a french catalogue that sells supposedly "giant" strawberries...to show how huge they are, they have a picture of  a baby holding one!

Pontus

[bulborum]

15 to 20 on a m²
and yes I think I have still some Camassia leichtlinii

Roland