This is a shade growing onion for the wild flower garden or woodland. Two or three nice large leaves come up out of the ground in early spring. The white flowers, are produced in umbels that are on 6-8 inches tall, in early summer. Once established plants grow into large colonies by way of self-seeding. Plants do well in deep shade under trees and the round shiny seeds add an interesting display in late summer. The foliage goes dormant in early summer a few weeks before the plants bloom. The leaves arise from small white bulbs, that are eatable. The shiny , round black seeds ripen in late summer.
Zones 3-9 Allium triccocum is a native of woods of North America. Sow at 70F for 4 weeks, remove those seedlings that have started to grow and then move the remaining seeds between 24 and 38F for 6-12 weeks, after move to between 40 and 55F for germination. Some seeds will germinate the first year and the remaining seeds should be allowed to over winter out-side for germination the next spring. Typical germination rates for this species run from 50 to 70 percent when sown on well draining but moist soils and kept under bright open shade. Often best to start in a specially prepared bed out side under forest trees with a loamy humus rich soil.