Hi Rouge,

Yes, I am familiar with Allium obliquum. I started some from seed a couple of years ago and I planted some mature bulbs (from Odyssey Bulbs) last fall. My seed grown plants were still not quite large enough to bloom, but I got a decent show from the mature bulbs.

In my opinion, the true ornamental value of this plant is in its developing flower stems and buds. They will twist and turn and curl around for weeks as they slowy develop, and provide a great deal of "textural" interest to the garden during that stage. Once the flowers open, the stems are more or less upright and lose all of that architectural appeal.

Here are a few of my personal criticisms about this plant to keep in mind:
1. A lot of references I checked before planting it stated it was a "later blooming" drumstick-type, but my plants finished blooming weeks before the regular purple drumsticks even started.
2. Once the flowers open, the flowerhead is very small in relation to the overall plant, which is quite robust with strappy garlic-like foliage.
3. Foliage on my plants is still healthy and green with no signs of dying down. I was hoping it would have exited quietly by now, lol!
4. Flower color is neither as dramatic nor as impactful as I was hoping for, and it is barely noticeable in my garden.

So, in summary, it has EXQUISITE flower stems/developing buds, mediocre flowers, a poorly balanced plant habit (especially when compared to the common purple drumsticks), and overall looks like a domestic garlic plant but shows no signs of dying down.

As always an excellent review of this plant...thanks ispahan.

It is very expensive as a bulb. I may try a few just to see that stem!

(Btw, I did try to PM and email you to thank you for your last year's endorsement of ranunculous "Flore Pleno". I for sure saw its great promise this first full spring in my garden. I even planted 2 more a couple of weeks back. It is the best new plant in my garden).