YORKTOWN ONION This weekend while cutting back some shrubs and grasses I found what I thought was long gone..... one of my Yorktown Onions. For those of you unfamiliar with this particular onion, it is one named for this area. The onions on the park lands are protected and one is not allowed to pick, dig, or otherwise propagate. The county site has a fact sheet on the Allium ampeloprasum .
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From The Queen of Seaford |
If you have them growing on your property you may divide, share or otherwise propagate. There were some properties that had some construction and the onions were rescued, divided, potted, and sold at the Learning Garden Plant sale. I bought a small one at a plant sale a few years ago and the following year I couldn't find it. I was disappointed, but had forgotten about them until Saturday! What luck! Now if they will just mature a little more this year, maybe next year they will bloom.
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| From The Queen of Seaford |
For those of you who aren't sure what it is that you are looking at, the onions are glaucous, narrow-bladed leaves coming up through the daffodils and sedum (and weeds).
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| From The Queen of Seaford |
Cool! I would love to see the bloom as alliums are so much fun. I hope it blooms this year for you-and me so I can see it!
ReplyDeleteAre they edible or ornamental Janet? I've never seen the Yorktown Onion so I was just wondering. The Learning Garden is a place I drove by a couple of times when I did some temping at the Refinery. I really want to stop in there this year. :)
ReplyDeleteTina, Thanks, I hope they don't disappear! Blooming would be REALLY nice. I think a bed of mixed alliums would be fun...some time in the future.
ReplyDeleteRacquel, The onions are ornamental. If you go up to the battlefield in May/ June you will see them all over the place...take a drive along the parkway to see the dogwoods and the redbuds...the onions are there then as well. Oh do stop by the LG. Can give you a tour if you are interested. The next sale is May 2nd.
Doesn't that just put the biggest smile on your face when you find a hidden treasure in your garden? I always get so excited and usually say something out loud, then have to glace around to see if anyone heard me talking to my plants :^)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! I hope they bloom for you!
ReplyDeleteLarkspur, truly a giddy moment finding a surprise in the garden!
ReplyDeleteThanks K- don't think they will bloom this year, but what do I know? Maybe they will be in bloom when you come..... :-)
A co-worker gave me a bulb and told me not to tell anyone who I got it from, you would have thought it was a narcotic. However, when it bloomed I asked her what the big deal was, it was a just a big ivory white allium blossom. I drove down the parkway last summer and saw what they were supposed to look like. Come to find out, what she gave me was a clove of Elephant garlic and not the Yorktown Onion, but I am OK with that. I would want any horticultural contraband in my garden.
ReplyDelete...and another thing. I read the link you provided and noticed that it was written by Jim Orband. I attended a pruning refresher he taught today at the Mid Atlantic Hort. Conf. in Virginia Beach.
ReplyDeleteLes, Thanks for visiting. Jim is a good friend and a great pruning teacher. I will keep the blog posted on whether there will any Yorktown Onions available for sale at the Learning Garden this May.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Janet -- I don't know this one at all. Good info.
ReplyDeleteCameron
Cameron, It is really nice when they are all blooming along the battlefield.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Hi Janet, I had to do a google search to find out more about these. They are divine, what a find! Hope you post phots when they bloom!
ReplyDeleteFrances
My hope is to get some good photos this summer at the Yorktown battlefield. I had one spot picked out last year as we drove past...then it was 3 weeks later. Check back and see if I remember this year!
ReplyDeleteHey Mom,
ReplyDeleteI really like the way you changed this and added the pictures at the top!! Also, Yorktown Onions are my favorite.. I love seeing them along the parkway. Going to miss that when we all move away....
love!
Janet, I read this as soon as you wrote it but forgot to comment! It is something I'm not familiar with. But it sounds very exciting, especially with the knowledge you have re: the history of the onions. Having lived in that area, you might think I'd be 'up' on these things, but I'm not and never was. I wasn't in to gardening back then and wasn't thinking about the rich history that surrounds the area. I should have...but, that's history, too!!
ReplyDeleteI hope this, and maybe others, will bloom for you! It's nice that it's legal to have if they just naturally occur. Too bad they can't be consumed!!
Thanks Jan, They are pretty. Over the years (200+) having been cut so often they have evolved into a smaller variety. I will be sure to make multiple trips up to the battlefield to get some great photos. (And cross my fingers that mine may one day bloom)
ReplyDeleteIts always so much fun to make a discovery like that!
ReplyDeleteYes it is Anne.
ReplyDelete