Allium kurssanovii

Allium kurssanovii Popov is an uncommon species, perhaps most closely related to Allium saxatile M.Bieb. This is a fairly robust plant, with narrow, densely bunching bulbs with fibrous tunics growing close to the surface and much of the bulb neck protruding above ground. The leaf bases tend to be red-striped. Flexuous, terete (round-in-cross-section) foliage and stems reach about 16" (40 cm), topped with balls of pinched bright pink flowers. Unlike most alliums that are actually sweet scented, this one is a true stinker, and all parts of the plant smell bad. If you don't like that aspect, grow Allium saxatile instead. Photos by Mark McDonough and John Lonsdale.