Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Summer 2012 - (Page 36)

PLANT PROFILE CHIVES SpECIES: ALLIUM Sp. IN EACH ISSUE wE wILL pROfILE A GREEN ROOf OR wALL pLANT, EXpLORING ITS bIOLOGy, USES, AND pREfERENCES. THRIVE ON GREEN ROOfS by: MARGUERITE wELLS T he Allium genus is part of the Lily family, Lilaceae. The genus is a familiar one – onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives. I am confident every reader is familiar with these but not everyone knows the other members of the family, many of which are great green roof plants. Alliums are bulbing plants, though the size and habit of those bulbs varies between species. Having a juicy, long-lived bulb means that in a worst case scenario of heat and drought on a green roof, alliums can retreat to their bulbs and survive the weather, regenerating the next year. For example, the leek is the national flower of Wales, and they appreciate the hardiness of this plant in their cold, rocky soils. tall stalk in summer. Other than culinary onions, the alliums we all use are perennials, dying back in winter, coming again every spring. Care and propagation: Alliums grow well from seed, some becoming weedy and spreading rapidly as a result. Allium seed is very short lived. Seeds older than one year will not germinate at all. Division is the other means of propagation- clumps can be dug, split, and replanted with ease. GREEN ROOfS: On a green roof alliums can be planted from plugs or seed. Seed can be sown nearly any time of year; even tiny seedlings will overwinter fine, or if you sow late in the fall, GROwTH HAbIT: Varying in height from nine inches to three feet the seed will wait till spring to come up. Chives can become tall, with narrow, grass like leaves, and round umbel flowers on a weeds on some green roofs due to their ease of seeding them- LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / SUMMER 2012 / 36

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Summer 2012

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Summer 2012
Contents
Letter from the Chairman
From the Founder
New Standard on the Use of Lightweight Aggregate
Urban Agriculture Declaration Caps Amazing Summit Debut
Economics of Biophilic Design
Brad Rowe, David Spalding, Cornelia Oberlander, Paul Kephart
Green Roofing Industry Sees Triple Digit Growth
Green Roof Local Market Symposiums
Industry Professionals Weigh in on Growing Media Quality Control!
CitiesAlive in Chicago Oct 17th – 19th
Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition Changes our Perspectives on Infrastructure
Improving Tax Abatement
10th Anniversary Commemorative Pull Out Section
Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market
Leadership Knows No Bounds- Virginia Russell
Policy Profile- A Home for Biodiversity on Green Roofs
New Industry Products
Plant Profile: Chives Thrive on Green Roofs
Half a year, Full-Fledged Growth
In God We Trust – All Others Bring Data!
New Corporate Members
Professional Calendar
GRHC Buyers Guide
Green Supremacy by Zach Williams

Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Summer 2012