Giant Red Beard
Giant Red Beard is a hybrid allium. Germination takes 21-28 days and fruit ripens from about day 90-120. Skin runs to deep purple-violet flower globes. Water need is moderate water during growth, dry summer dormancy preferred. Suits zones 4-9. It will crop in a container. As a hybrid it will not breed true; saving seed from it is not worth the space.
Sowing
Plant bulbs in fall 3-4 inches deep, 6-8 weeks before hard freeze. Bulbs need cold winter period for spring blooming.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- Moderate water during growth, dry summer dormancy preferred
- Soil
- Well-drained soil, excellent drainage essential to prevent bulb rot
- Soil pH
- 6.0-8.0
- Spacing
- 6-8 inches
- Height
- 24-30 inches
- Season
- Spring blooming, planted in fall
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Deep purple-violet flower globes
- Size
- 6-inch diameter flower heads on 3-4 foot stems
- Shape
- Perfect spherical flower heads composed of hundreds of small star-shaped flowers
- Flavour
- Not grown for culinary use - ornamental variety
In the kitchen
Purely ornamental - not edible. Excellent for cut flowers and dried arrangements.
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Bulb mites, aphids on flowers
- Diseases
- Bulb rot in wet conditions, otherwise very disease resistant
- Resistance
- Good resistance when grown in well-drained soil, deer and rodent resistant
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | — | June – July | September |
| 2 | — | — | May – July | September |
| 3 | — | — | May – June | August – October |
| 4 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| 5 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 6 | — | — | April – May | July – November |
| 7 | — | — | March – May | July – November |
| 8 | — | — | March – April | June – December |
| 9 | — | — | February – March | May – December |
| 10 | — | — | January – March | May – December |
| 11 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
| 12 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
| 13 | — | — | January – February | April – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 40
- Protein (g)
- 1.1
- Fat (g)
- 0.1
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 9.34
- Fibre (g)
- 1.7
- Sugars (g)
- 4.24
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 0
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 7.4
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.02
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 0.4
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.12
- Folate (µg)
- 19
- Calcium (mg)
- 23
- Iron (mg)
- 0.21
- Magnesium (mg)
- 10
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 29
- Potassium (mg)
- 146
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.17
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.5
Where to buy seed and equipment
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Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Giant Red Beard?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other alliums with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Giant Red Beard suits these too.
- Biker 90 days
- Purple de Lautrec Shallot 90 days
- Red Burgundy Shallot 90 days
- Red Baron Shallots 90 days
- French Gray Shallot 90 days
- Megaton 90 days