Allium 'Pinball Wizard' (Lilac ornamental onion) — Bulbs, size 18/20
- Regular price
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€25,95 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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€25,95
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Frequently asked questions
When does Allium Pinball Wizard flower? In May and June, above a rosette of broad green leaves that emerge at the very start of spring.
How many Allium Pinball Wizard bulbs should you plant in a pot? Allow 2 bulbs in a pot 30 cm in diameter, planted 15 cm deep in well-drained compost.
Shipping & packaging
Shipped within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 working days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection so your plant arrives in perfect condition
- Tracking link sent by email as soon as your parcel ships
- Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page
ZEN ARRIVAL GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us promptly at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- We will find the right solution for your situation
- No return needed — we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage in transit, plants severely weakened on arrival, and order preparation errors.
CARE TIPS ON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack your plant immediately and inspect it
- Let it acclimatize for 24-48h in a bright spot out of direct sunlight
- Check the soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting, if needed
- Keep it away from heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe the leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
💜 Huge lilac globes up to 20 cm • 🌿 Sturdy stems 60 to 80 cm tall • 🌤️ Flowers in May-June • 🐝 Very bee-friendly • ☀️ Full sun • 💐 Excellent cut flower • 🧊 Very hardy • 🔁 Flowers again every year • 📏 Large bulbs, size 18/20
The Allium 'Pinball Wizard' is a hybrid of Allium macleanii and Allium christophii that bears huge, perfectly round globes up to 20 cm across, made of tightly packed lilac-purple starry flowers. In May and June, they open at the top of sturdy stems 60 to 80 cm tall, above a rosette of broad green leaves. It is a European horticultural selection, supplied as large graded size 18/20 bulbs that flower from the very first spring.
Its dense, perfectly spherical globes keep their shape throughout flowering and attract bees and bumblebees. Among our flower bulbs, it is the allium with the largest globes on medium-height stems, easy to place in the middle of a border or in a large pot.
How many bulbs should you choose?
Allium 'Pinball Wizard' is planted in small groups, as each globe takes up a lot of space: allow about 10 bulbs per square meter, or 2 bulbs in a pot 30 cm in diameter.
- 2 bulbs: for a large 30 cm pot on a terrace or balcony.
- 4 bulbs: a tight group to create a focal point at the heart of a perennial border.
- 8 bulbs: about 1 m², for an edging along a path or two groups that echo each other.
- 16 bulbs: about 1.5 m², for a large border or to repeat the motif along the whole length of a bed.
The larger the pack, the lower the price per bulb: the pack of 16 works out at less than half the price per bulb of the pack of 2.
Planting & location
The bulbs are planted from September to December, as long as the ground is not frozen, for flowers in May and June.
- Exposure: full sun, at least 6 hours a day; in shade, the stems stretch and lean.
- Depth: 15 to 18 cm, tip upwards, roughly three times the height of these large bulbs.
- Spacing: 25 to 30 cm between bulbs, so that the large globes do not touch.
- Soil type: well drained, even poor or chalky; the bulb rots in soil that stays waterlogged in winter.
- Hardiness: down to -25 °C in the ground, no protection needed.
A size 18/20 bulb holds enough reserves to produce a large globe from the very first flowering.
Watering & care
Alliums live on their reserves and make do with rainfall in the ground.
- Watering: low — water once at planting, then only if the spring is very dry; in pots, when the potting mix is dry several centimeters down, which you can confirm with the finger test.
- In a pot: a well-draining potting mix lightened with a third of sand or fine gravel, with a layer of clay pebbles at the bottom.
- Fertilizer: a bulb fertilizer in spring, when the leaves emerge.
- After flowering: let the leaves turn yellow and dry in place; they rebuild the bulb's reserves for the following year.
Allium leaves turn yellow as soon as it flowers: plant it behind perennials or grasses that will hide the base.
Decorating ideas & plant pairings
Its large lilac globes float above perennials, in borders as well as in large pots on a sunny terrace, following the pointers in our guide to plants for a sunny balcony.
- To bring the family together, plant the Star of Persia, one of its two parents, in front of it — its metallic-purple starry globes, lower down, take over in June.
- For a lilac and white contrast, plant a few Allium 'Mount Everest' behind it — their white globes open at the same time, at 1 m-1.20 m.
- To extend flowering, add the round-headed leek — its small purple heads take over in July.
- To hide the foliage, place the trio of grasses in front — their soft tufts mask the yellowing leaves.
For a terrace version, plant 2 bulbs in the Elho Greenville Round pot in white, 30 cm across: its white brings out the lilac of the globes.
Verdeia tips
- Cut them for your bouquets: picked when half the flowers in the globe are open, the stems last about two weeks in a vase; change the water every two days to avoid the garlic smell.
- Keep the dried globes: after flowering they turn beige and stay decorative all summer in the garden or in a dried bouquet.
- Leave them in place: don't dig up the bulbs, they overwinter in the ground like the species in our selection of cold-hardy plants, and flower again every spring.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Allium 'Pinball Wizard' (A. macleanii × A. christophii)
- Common name: lilac ornamental onion
- Family: Amaryllidaceae
- Origin: European horticultural selection
- Delivery: dry bulbs, size 18/20 (18 to 20 cm in circumference), in packs of 2, 4, 8 or 16
- Flowering height: 60 to 80 cm
- Flowering: May-June, spherical lilac-purple globes up to 20 cm across
- Planting: September to December, 15-18 cm deep
- Exposure: full sun
- Watering: low
- Hardiness: down to -25 °C
- Soil type: well drained, tolerates poor and chalky soils
- Life cycle: perennial, blooms again every year and naturalizes
- Bee-friendly: very attractive to bees, bumblebees and butterflies
- Care: very easy
- Toxicity: toxic to animals (dogs and cats) if ingested, like all alliums
- Decorative style: Boho / Natural garden / Contemporary border
Each bulb is unique: the height of the stems and the size of the globes vary naturally depending on the soil and sun exposure.
Your plant, delivered with care
Every plant is hand-packed in a box specially designed for plants — secured, protected, ready to travel. It arrives in perfect condition, roots intact and foliage preserved, ready to take its place in your home.
Our Verdeia commitments
FAQ – Everything to know before adopting your Verdeia plant
How are my plants prepared before shipping?
All our plants are selected from our European partner nurseries. Before shipping, they are watered, cleaned, and protected with breathable, secure packaging. Each package is designed to ensure your plant arrives in perfect health, without any transport-related stress.
Will the plant look exactly like the photo?
The photos accurately represent the variety and the stated size. Since each plant is unique, slight differences in shape, foliage, or color may occur — and that’s part of their charm.
What are the delivery times and conditions?
Orders ship within 48 working hours, with tracked delivery in 2 to 5 working days via DPD. Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page. You receive a tracking link as soon as your parcel leaves.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
Open your package as soon as you receive it and carefully remove the plant from its packaging. Let it acclimate for 24 hours in its new environment before watering. If it has been slightly stressed during transport, it will recover its shape after one or two days in the light.
What should I do if my plant arrives damaged?
Contact us within 48 hours with a photo of the issue. Our team will assess the situation and offer you the best solution: replacement, partial refund, or recovery advice.
Can I return a plant?
Since plants are living beings, standard returns are not possible. However, we guarantee good health upon delivery: if the plant arrives damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. For any other cases (order error, decorative pot, accessory), returns are possible within 14 days.