Allium - Snake
Common Names: Snake Allium, Snake Ball Alium, Curly Allium
Botanical names: Allium siculum.
Availability: April through September
Vase life: 5 to 7 days
Storage temperatures: 34 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit
Ethylene Sensitive: Yes
Description: airy, architectural, and a little whimsical. The naturally drooping blossoms create beautiful line and movement, making snake allium especially effective in garden-style, contemporary, or botanical designs.
Color: Generally used in floral design in a non-bloom stage. When blooming, soft green and creamy white flowers with burgundy to purple markings. As the florets mature, they can develop dusky rose, plum, and bronze tones.
Botanical facts: Like many alliums, cut or bruised stems and foliage can have an onion or garlic scent
Design notes: Snake allium is a wonderful line and movement flower in floral design. Its tall, slender stem creates strong visual direction, while the dangling bell-shaped florets add graceful movement and a touch of whimsy. It works especially well in garden-style, vegetative, contemporary, and asymmetrical designs, where its natural form can be allowed to arch, drape, or extend beyond the main flower mass. The muted green, cream, and burgundy tones also make it a beautiful transitional flower for sophisticated color palettes. Because the flower head is so distinctive, snake allium is often most effective when given space to be seen rather than crowded among heavier flowers.
Purchasing hints: Purchase before the flowers bloom. Look for turgid, well hydrated strong stems.
Conditioning: Remove two to three inches of the stem with a sharp knife. Hydrate in a solution of water and commercial floral preservative before storage or usage.
Additional notes: The name Allium is from the Greek for garlic.
Video Demonstration: