Help identifying flowers from France #2

Looks like an Allium in bud to me.

Looks a bit like a 'round headed leek', A. 'Sphaerocephalum'. 'Drumsticks'.

It does look like an Allium, but when you say "tall spears", is that a description of the leaves? In other words, sword like, rigid, upright leaves? Cos all the alliums I know have floppy leaves.

Thanks for the answers so far.

Stupidly i didn't take a photo of the leaves.

But it was a low plant with single thin spear-like stems shooting up to the flower ball pictured. The spear I'm talking about is the flower stalk.

I think it is an Allium. The leaves will die back fairly soon, the Allium will open more into a multi flower head then produce masses of seeds.

Looks very, very like A. 'Spaerocephalum'.

I live in France and have these popping all over the place like weeds. They have no leaves and when cut have that onion/leaky smell.
I'd also like to know if they are flowers, as so far I've been getting rid of them thinking that the ball at the top was seeds and I didn't want any more growing.

The ball at the top is a flower head. It will develop into a lovely purple colour as it flowers, and will attract bees. When it has finished its flowering stage after a few weeks, it will begin to form seeds in it. They will then begin to drop, disperse and scatter from the plant. If you don't want it to spread that way but would like to enjoy the flowers, you could pull off the heads straight after their blooming stage has ended.

Thanks for that Jonathan, now I know what they are I'll let those in the right places flower then get rid of the heads as you said. I can understand why they were growing them in pots - they spread everywhere. I've had them growing out of dry stone walls, inbetween paving stones, etc., etc.
Thanks again.

Looks like a leek that has gone to seed.

It looks exactly the same as my Alium 'Beau Regard' did a couple of weeks ago. Now, it's fully open though.

There's a pic here if you want to see it just opening:

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/83694-alium-opening-25th-may-09/member/llew

The leaves which are basal, naturally die down as the flowers begin to form.

I've looked at the photo Llew and they are similar but the ones that appear in my garden never have leaves. I have one at the moment that has the ball on it - I'll keep watching it to see what happens.

Hmmmm, strange. Aliums do have leaves, but quite low growing compared to height of flower stalk and often hidden amongst other plants.

Then again, Chives are the same family and have completely different leaves.

Mind you, if yours are growing in cracks in paths and stuff, FrenchB, then I dunno. Still, whatever you have, if it smells of onions, it's definitely the alium family, so at least you know that much now, lol.

I'll keep an eye on it - Watch this space!

Me again - the flowers have started to open up and they are nothing like the attractive flowers on Llews Alium. I've googled the images on the leek theory Wagger, and mine is definitely a leek that's gone to seed.
So that's my mystery solved! All I can suggest to you Barcar is wait and see...

Nothing wrong with leek flowers, frenchbean - and you can get next year's seed. lol

Well, all I can say is...I want some leeks now, lol.

You may live to regret that Llew.....