Do Alliums cross-pollinate?

[veggiechicken]

I'm growing lots of perennial alliums this year - some from bulbils, other's from seed or offsets. Are they likely to cross-pollinate each other and does it matter?
Please let me know before I plant out any more than the 20 or so Babington leeks that have just gone in the ground

[rustylady]

Not sure of the answer to your question VC, but while googling I found this site which you may find interesting Allium Species - the Perennial Onions

What other alliums were you going to grow?

[SarzWix]

You might find some answers here VC; Onions and leeks. Seed saving guidelines from the Heritage Seed Library.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks RL. I found this :-
Keeping Seed Pure Bega: All sorts of Alliums

Alliums are cross-pollinated by insect. Growing one type of chives, one of garlic chives, one of either common or welsh onion and one type of leek within a 400 metre radius should result in good seed of each. Of the varieties that do not set seed, such as potato and tree onions, seed savers can grow as many as they like knowing they will not contaminate their seed strains.
Then I started to get really confused
I'm growing (or plan to):-
Babingtons perennial leeks
Three cornered leeks
Ordinary leeks
Elephant Garlic
Several types of garlic including some from bulbils
Shallots (a couple of types)
Walking onion
Potato onion
Chives
Garlic chives
Welsh Onion

and some ornamental alliums............

[rustylady]

Then I started to get really confused
I'm growing (or plan to):-
Babingtons perennial leeks
Three cornered leeks
Ordinary leeks
Elephant Garlic
Several types of garlic including some from bulbils
Shallots (a couple of types)
Walking onion
Potato onion
Chives
Garlic chives
Welsh Onion

and some ornamental alliums............

Cross pollination won't matter unless you plan to save seed from your plants.

Shallots are usually propagated from bulbs or sets, so again you can save some of your best to re-plant next year. You don't let them flower, never mind get pollinated, so no problem.

Chives (and presumably garlic chives) you can propagate by lifting and dividing the clumps of small bulbs that they form, so again no problem. I do leave chives to flower though, cos the bees love them.

Ordinary leeks won't (or shouldn't) flower until the second year. I usually use all mine and buy fresh seed for the next year.

[veggiechicken]

Its the Babington leeks that I'm most concerned about as I'm growing them on from bulbils and it takes 2 years until they flower. I don't want to wait 2 years to find that they're not the real thing and have been b@st@rdized by a wanton chive or a lusty leek

[rustylady]

Where did you get them from?

[veggiechicken]

I'm confident that the one's I'm growing from bulbils are the real thing. Its what happens to them when they flower this year that worries me - if I'm growing other alliums nearby. We're in year 2 now

[rustylady]

Am I right in saying you just use the leaves from Babington leeks? And they regrow every year?

[veggiechicken]

I haven't got to the point of being able to eat any yet, Rusty. I started, last March with a one -year old plant and a handful of bulbils. The plant flowered but I gave away most of the bulbils to the exotic seed swap. The ones I'm growing now are from the original bulbils and I have about 30 of them - they should flower this year. The original leek plant has regrown as two leeks
So they're a multiplier leek that also grows from bulbils in the flower head.
As a wild flower they grow around the rocky south west coast of England and Wales and, on the island of FlatHolm in the Severn Estuary that I visit frequently. There is a massive colony of them there, covering quite an area, and I'd like to replicate that here in the garden.

[Alison]

Are you wanting to save seeds? If so don't let any others flower nearby as they will cross.

[veggiechicken]

I want to save bulbils (which are effectively seed)

[Martin H]

I'm don't know my onions well, but on most plants bulbils are the same genetics as their parent, so it wouldn't matter what you grew them with.

[veggiechicken]

My difficulty is - that the flower head has to be pollinated before it can form bulbils - is there a risk that there could be cross-pollination from another allium living locally.
I know that I'm unlikely to have flowers on ordinary onions or leeks - but there are always flowers on the chives and garlic chives.

[zazen999]

My difficulty is - that the flower head has to be pollinated before it can form bulbils - is there a risk that there could be cross-pollination from another allium living locally.
I know that I'm unlikely to have flowers on ordinary onions or leeks - but there are always flowers on the chives and garlic chives.

No they don't come after flowers, if you cut any flowers off they will still set bulbils.

I always have leeks flowering and they are right by my chives and the leeks always grow fine. I know, I grow bleu de solaise from home saved seeds and they are leeks, blue, hardy. And taste perfect.

I think the issue is if you have 2 types of leeks and you want seed from one then just stop the other flowering.

Your Babbies will be just fine. The bulbils are a vegetative propagation method not a sexual propagation method (which need pollination)