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Persian onion

Allium cristophii

Also called Star of Persia

Persian onion
Photo: Vulkano Uwe Horst Friese , Bremerhaven, CC BY-SA 3.0

Persian onion (Allium cristophii) is a bulb grown for its large, silvery pink star-shaped flower heads in early summer. The key to growing it is free-draining, gritty soil and a sunny to lightly shaded spot.

Family
Amaryllidaceae (Daffodil & onion family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Part shade
Water
Water moderately during growth and let the soil dry out between waterings; avoid waterlogging, especially in winter.
Soil
Sandy, gritty, well-drained soil.
Temperature
Hardy to about -15 °C (USDA zones 5–8); protect pots from hard frost.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
C. Türkiye (Kayseri), Turkmenistan (Kopet Da.) to NE. Iran
Climate
temperate

About

Allium cristophii, the Persian onion or star of Persia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Iran, Turkey, and Turkmenistan, though grown as an ornamental bulbous plant in many parts of the world. It may be sold under the synonym of Allium albopilosum.

Star of Persia grows to 50 cm (20 in) and is cultivated in gardens for its large showy umbels of silvery pink star-shaped flowers, 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) in diameter, which appear in early summer. The flowers are followed by attractive fruiting clusters. The plant has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Other Allium plants

South Idaho onion · Abrams' allium · Allium aciphyllum · Tapertip onion · Allium aeginiense · Allium aflatunense · Allium agrigentinum · Allium alabasicum · Allium albotunicatum · Allium alibile · Altai Onion · Allium altissimum

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Allium cristophii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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