I was just about to add a few things I'd left out but ..wow! you people are quick! I forgot to mention the flowers were light pink. Also, I just opened parts of the top to see if they were seed pods or little "bulblets" and did detect a slight garlicy smell. The fumes were very strong and opened my sinuses (as when cutting onions, for example)but the actual smell was rather faint. "..but it may be in the Fritillaria family such as imperialis?" No, but that is very cool! Had I seen one of these instead, yes, I'd have taken it and, yes, I'd be asking what the heck it is. "Perhaps could it be ..Allium aflatunense?" I don't think so but similar. Some photos of Allium aflatunense look closer than others. Looking into it further, I'm finding images of various Ornamental Onion, Ornamental Chives, Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii, Allium angulosum that look pretty close. Possibly Alllium Hollandicum? Whatever the case, I'm more confident it's some sort or another of large Allium . Thanks

My experience: I planted A. giganteum, christophii and gladiator bulbs and they did not even put out leaves. A. schubertii, Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum (elephant garlic), A. tuberosum (garlic chives), A. schoenoprasum (onion chives), a white fall flowering allium and Tulbaghia violacea (not an allium but smells like one) have done well for me. Scott Ogden's book (Garden Bulbs for the South) which I wish I had discovered before I bought all the large-flowering allium bulbs, confirms what I observed. It also states that A. spherocephalon (drumstick allium), A. triquetrum, A. coryi and A. neapolitanum do well in the south-I have not tried them. I can bring the noid fall flowering white allium and elephant garlic to the swap if you would like them. Susan

 I have been growing this plant for culinary purposes; have had it for 2 yrs, it hasn't flowered but sends offshoots. It is perennial and well suited to a tropical climate, the taste is the same as Allium porrum,which I have great difficulty growing in this climate. If it ever flowers, it would be a worthwhile plant to cultivate from seed.      [See the HortiPlex page for Allium ampeloprasum]

Those appear to be leek plants and leek flowers. Allium ampeloprasum, to be exact. Of course, that could be Babbington, elephant garlic, or Los Mols. The only differences are the shape of the bulbs. When allowed to grow wild and naturalize via seed in the South, it seems that the first two want to revert to the third type. Tasting the leaves will confirm that it's a leek. Digging up a plant, after half the leaves are dead, will give you a clue as to which one. From reports of many such "wild" stands throughout the South, divided bulbs are seldom found, only rounds. Perhaps that may have something to do with why elephant garlic is only sold as cloves rather than seed. Also, my chives grow all summer and bloomed right up to and past frost last year. They were quite a hit with the honeybees. As it became colder, a friend's Russians would be here an hour or so before his Italians even thought of flying and still be here an hour later! Martin