Allium 'Summer Peek-a-boo' is a compact ornamental onion with tidy green foliage and deep rosy purple flower globes that bloom in early summer. Its smaller form and tidy habit make it perfect for edging and small space gardens, and its blooms persist through the heat standing well above the foliage on sturdy stems.
Height & Spread: 10 - 12 in x 10 - 12 in
Bloom Time: Early to mid summer
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soils; prefers sandy or gravelly conditions
Watering Needs: Low; drought tolerant once established
Deer Resistance: Highly deer and rabbit resistant due to onion scent
Native Status
This plant is a cultivated hybrid and not native to North America, though derived from species found in Europe and Central Asia.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Bees
- Attracts honeybees, native bumblebees, and small carpenter bees with its rich nectar during early summer.
Butterflies
- Visited by Painted Ladies and Pearl Crescents seeking nectar from clustered blooms.
Beneficial Insects
- Draws hoverflies and predatory wasps that assist in natural pest control.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 10 - 12 in apart for a tidy, low growing display in masses or borders.
Landscape Placement
- Excellent for edging, rock gardens, container groupings, and adding structure to low perennial combinations.
Companion Plants
- Erigeron karvinskianus (Santa Barbara Daisy) - A long blooming daisy that softens edges and echoes Allium’s summer rhythm.
- Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme) - A fragrant low growing herb with dense matting habit and purple flowers.
- Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) - Shares sun and soil needs while providing contrasting form and extended bloom.
- Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Wood Sage) - Adds vertical purple spikes and sustains pollinators before and after Allium blooms.
- Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) - Provides soft ferny foliage and long lasting blooms that combine well in sunny borders.