Allium 'Medusa' is a whimsical ornamental onion with narrow twisting gray green foliage that curls outward like its mythological namesake. The foliage remains present throughout the growing season and is topped in mid to late summer by spherical lavender pink flower heads. It combines structural interest with late season pollinator support and is well suited for gardens needing a soft yet sculptural element.
Height & Spread: 18 - 24 in x 12 - 18 in
Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soil; tolerates poor, rocky conditions
Watering Needs: Low; drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Deer and rabbit resistant
Native Status
This hybrid allium is not native to North America but was selected for ornamental qualities, including long blooming performance and foliage character.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Attracts Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and sulphur butterflies with its generous midsummer nectar availability.
Bees
- Supports a wide range of native bees and honeybees at a time when few other perennials are blooming.
Moths
- Draws both day flying and nocturnal moths including hummingbird clearwing moths during peak bloom.
Beneficial Insects
- Encourages populations of parasitic wasps and hoverflies, which help control aphids and leafhoppers nearby.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 12 - 18 in apart to accommodate its arching foliage and rounded floral display without crowding neighbors.
Landscape Placement
- Perfect for sunny mixed borders, wildflower gardens, and gravel beds where its twisting leaves and pink blooms add character among upright and broad leaf companions.
Companion Plants
- Calamintha nepeta 'Blue Cloud' (Calamint) - Produces a frothy haze of pale blooms that weave through Medusa’s form, softening its structure.
- Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' (Purple Coneflower) - Offers vertical interest and pollinator value during Medusa’s bloom time.
- Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) - Provides a haze of lavender that harmonizes in both tone and bloom season.
- Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' (Switchgrass) - Brings vertical structure and seasonal foliage color to frame Allium’s rounded flowers.
- Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) - Adds a native grass accent with upright form and blue green blades that shift to bronze in fall.