Allium altaicum Pall.

Bulb solitary, ovoid-cylindric, 2--4 cm in diam.; tunic red-brown, thinly leathery or hard and leathery, entire or outer layer splitting. Leaves 1/3--1/2 as long as scape, 0.5--2 cm wide, terete, fistulose. Scape 40--100 cm, terete, fistulose, covered with leaf sheaths for 1/4--1/2 its length. Spathe 2-valved, persistent. Umbel globose, densely many flowered. Pedicels subequal, slightly shorter than to 1.5(--2) × as long as perianth, stout, ebracteolate. Perianth white tinged with yellow; outer segments ovate 6--9 × 2.8--4 mm, apex acute or acuminate; inner ones ovate-oblong, equaling or slightly longer than outer. Filaments subulate, equal, 1.5--2 × as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments. Ovary obovoid, with narrow, concave nectaries at base. Style exserted. Fl. and fr. Aug--Sep. 2 n = 16*.

It is a cold temperate plant. It grows naturally in rocky areas from Siberia to Mongolia. It prefers a sunny position in a light well drained soil. It can do well in moist and acid soils.

The bulb is eaten raw or cooked. It is used for flavouring. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are eaten raw as a garnish on salads.

Seed can be used to grow plants but these take a year to become established. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. Bulbs can be obtained by division of the clumps.