• Photo of Allium moly (Allium molys)

Plant Profile: Allium moly

Names

Garlic Onion, Golden Garlic, Lily Leek, Yellow Garlic

  • Photo of Allium moly (Allium molys)

Phonetic Spelling:AL-ee-um MOH-lee

Genus:Allium

Species:moly

Family:Alliaceae

Lily Leek, a member of the Alliaceae family, is a bulbous plant indigenous to Europe. It typically reaches heights of 10 to 18 inches and produces an abundance of yellow flowers that bloom in loose clusters from spring to early summer. The plant features attractive gray-green foliage that withers by mid-summer, and it emits a scent reminiscent of onions.

For optimal growth, plant Lily Leek in well-drained soil, ideally in full sun to partial shade. While it can thrive in various soil types, it shows a preference for sandy loams. In particularly hot summer regions, providing some afternoon shade is beneficial. Space the bulbs 2 to 3 inches apart and plant them about 5 inches deep. This plant will naturally fill in areas through offsets and self-seeding; however, if you wish to control its spread, deadheading is recommended. For the most striking visual impact, use them in large groups in naturalized settings, or incorporate them into borders, cottage gardens, and rock gardens.

For further details on Allium, please refer to additional resources.

Allium moly Feature Summary

Allium moly Image Gallery

Tags

#bulb
#yellow
#poisonous
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#perennial bulb
#yellow flowers
#cut flowers
#rabbit resistant
#Tunicated bulb
#deer resistant
#groundcover
#rock gardens
#borders
#spring interest
#edible
#cool season vegetable
#spring flowering bulbs
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Allium moly Feature Summary

Attributes
E. Spain to Italy, NW. Africa
EDIBLE PARTS: Leaves, bulbs, and bulblets. However, the plant also has poisonous characteristics as noted in the "Poisonous to Humans" section of this record. Toxicity can depend on the age of the person or animal, the age of the plant, the part of the plant ingested, how much is ingested, whether the person or animal has sensitivities or allergies, whether it's eaten raw or cooked, and so forth. Consult with a medical professional for further details.
Perennial
Bulb
Flowers
Star-shaped flowers are small, 6-parted, and in a cluster at the top of a naked stem. Flowers have a slight garlic fragrance.
Gold/Yellow
Fragrant
Good Cut
Long Bloom Season
Spring
Summer
6 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Basal blue-green flat leaves in pairs are up to 12 inches long and 2 inches wide with an onion-like fragrance.
Green
Blue
> 6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
10-15 inch stout green stems
Poisonous to Humans
Poisonous through ingestion. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Poison parts: All parts; bulbs, bulblets, flowers, and stems)
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Flowers
Fruits
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Fruit
Landscape
Rock Garden
Drought
Deer
Rabbits
Black Walnut
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Pollinators
Poisonous to Humans
Weedy

Allium moly Attributes

Allium moly: Country Or Region Of Origin

E. Spain to Italy, NW. Africa

Allium moly: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Deer, rabbits, drought

Allium moly: Edibility

EDIBLE PARTS: Leaves, bulbs, and bulblets. However, the plant also has poisonous characteristics as noted in the "Poisonous to Humans" section of this record. Toxicity can depend on the age of the person or animal, the age of the plant, the part of the plant ingested, how much is ingested, whether the person or animal has sensitivities or allergies, whether it's eaten raw or cooked, and so forth. Consult with a medical professional for further details.

Allium moly: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Allium moly Flowers

Allium moly: Flower Description

Star-shaped flowers are small, 6-parted, and in a cluster at the top of a naked stem. Flowers have a slight garlic fragrance.

Allium moly: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Allium moly: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Allium moly: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Allium moly: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Allium moly: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Allium moly: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Allium moly: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Allium moly Leaves

Allium moly: Leaf Description

Basal blue-green flat leaves in pairs are up to 12 inches long and 2 inches wide with an onion-like fragrance.

Allium moly: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Allium moly: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Allium moly: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Allium moly: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Allium moly: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Allium moly: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Allium moly: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Allium moly: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Allium moly: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Allium moly Stem

Allium moly: Stem Description

10-15 inch stout green stems

Allium moly: Stem Color

grass
Green

Allium moly: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Allium moly Poisonous to Humans

Allium moly: Poison Symptoms

Poisonous through ingestion. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Poison parts: All parts; bulbs, bulblets, flowers, and stems)

Allium moly: Poison Toxic Principle

Sulfides

Allium moly: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Allium moly: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Allium moly: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Allium moly Whole Plant Traits

Allium moly: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Allium moly: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Allium moly: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Allium moly: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Allium moly: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Allium moly Cultural Conditions

Allium moly: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Allium moly: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Allium moly: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Allium moly: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Allium moly: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Allium moly: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Allium moly Fruit

Allium moly: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Allium moly Landscape

Allium moly: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Allium moly: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Allium moly: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Allium moly: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Allium moly: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Allium moly: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy