Bubble Bath Ornamental Onion: Late-Summer Lilac After Lavender

Bubble Bath ornamental onion carries soft lilac-purple flower clusters about three inches across on strong, upright stems above a dense mound of blue-green leaves. When it is in full bloom, it looks like a cloud of purple bubbles floating over the foliage, which explains the name.

Unlike spring bulb alliums, this is a clump-forming type that blooms in late summer and keeps attractive foliage into fall. Its timing is the main reason to grow it with lavender: it arrives in August, just when the lavender bed could use a second wave of purple.

Bubble Bath at a glance

The second wave of purple

By August, most English lavenders have finished their main bloom and been cut for bundles. Bubble Bath steps in with globes in nearly the same soft purple, so the bed keeps its lavender color for weeks longer. Its blue-green, slightly twisted leaves look good from spring onward and blend with lavender's silver.

The rounded mound is a little wider than tall, so it sits comfortably in the front or middle of a lavender bed. Set plants in small groups between lavender mounds, leaving space around each lavender for airflow. It also suits herb gardens, rock gardens and containers. A pot of Bubble Bath next to a pot of lavender makes a low-water patio pair. Try spacing in the Companion Plant Planner.

Planting and care

• Soil: lean to average and well drained. Soggy soil in wet summers can rot the rhizomes.
• Water: through the first season, then only in long dry spells.
• After bloom: leave the seed heads for interest, or deadhead to limit self-sown seedlings.
• Fall and spring: leave the foliage until it yellows, then trim it back. No mulch needed in Michigan.
• Dividing: split clumps in spring every few years.

Onion thrips and leaf spot occasionally appear, but well-drained soil prevents most problems.

For cutting and drying

Bubble Bath rates well as both a cut and a dried flower. Cut fresh stems when about half the florets are open. For dried arrangements, let heads mature on the plant and cut them as they firm up. The stems have a mild onion scent, so rinse fresh cuts before bringing them indoors.

Ordering format

Bubble Bath is offered as a bare root plant. See the product page for current availability.

Frequently asked questions

How is it different from Bobblehead?

Both are summer alliums with lilac globes. Bubble Bath blooms a little later, from early August, and forms a rounder, more mounded clump; Bobblehead starts in mid-July and stands a bit taller.

Is it a fall-planted bulb?

No. It is a clump-forming perennial sold as a bare root plant and comes back as a clump each year.

Keep exploring

• Bubble Bath Ornamental Onion Bare Root Plant
• Companion Plant Library
• Companion Plant Planner
• Cut Flower Planner