Allium is the onion genus with about 1250 species, usually classified inside its have personal Alliaceae. Occasionally phytologist utilized to classify it in the lily family (Liliaceae).

It is perennial bulbous plants. It occur within temperate climates of the northern hemisphere, except for a few coinage occurring around Chile (when Allium juncifolium), Brazil (Allium sellovianum) or even tropical Africa (Allium spathaceum). It could deviate within height between Quint cm & 150 cm. A flowers form an umbel at the top of the leafless stalk. A bulbs vary about size between metal money, from either super little (around Two–Three millimetre from side to side) to like large (8–10 cm). The select few metal money (like chives, A. schoenoprasum) evolve thickened leaf-bases like than forming bulbs intrinsically.

Virtually all bulbous alliums increase by forming little bulbs or even "offsets" about a old of these, also when by seed. several mintage may form many bulblet (petite bulbs) in the flowerhead; in the then-alleged "tree onion" (A. cepa Proliferum Class action) a bulblet come couple, however big sufficiency to become utilized for pickling.

Members of the genus include numerous valued vegetables such as onions, shallots, leeks and herbs such as garlic and chives. The heavy "oniony" odor is characteristic of the wholly genus but not everthing members come equally saporous.

A few Allium metal money, including The. cristophii & The. giganteum, come utilized when border plants for their "architectural" qualities. Many hybrids have been bred, or even selected, by using rich purple flowers. Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is one of a virtually all popular & has been given an Award of Garden Merit (H4). By direct contrast, more mintage could be troublesome garden weeds.

Various Allium mintage come utilized when food plants per larvae of some Lepidoptera including Cabbage Moth, Common Swift (recorded on garlic), Garden Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, The Nutmeg, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Turnip Moth.