Allium cristophii

Allium cristophii
Allium cristophii[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily: Allioideae
Genus: Allium
Subgenus: Allium subg. Melanocrommyum
Species:
A. cristophii
Binomial name
Allium cristophii
Trautv., conserved name[2]
Synonyms[3][4][5]
  • Allium christophii Trautv., alternate spelling
  • Caloscordum cristophii (Trautv.) Banfi & Galasso
  • Allium albopilosum C.H.Wright
  • Allium bodeanum Regel
  • Allium walteri Regel

Allium cristophii, the Persian onion or star of Persia,[6][7] 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.[3] 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.[8][9]

A. cristophii performs best in sun to part shade.[10] It is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.[11] It prefers sandy, gritty soil with good drainage, and is best suited to USDA hardiness zones 5–8.[12]

References

  1. ^ 1904 illustration from Curtis's botanical magazine volume 130, series 3, number 60, plate 7982, as Allium albopilosum (http://www.botanicus.org/page/451490) Author Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911)
  2. ^ Trautvetter, Ernst Rudolf von. 1884. Trudy Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago Botaničeskago Sada 9(1): 268.
  3. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  4. ^ Fritsch, R. M. 1999. (1419) Proposal to conserve the name Allium cristophii, preferably with the spelling A. christophii, against A. bodeanum (Liliaceae). Taxon 48(3): 577–579.
  5. ^ Brummitt, R. K. 2001. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 51. Taxon 50(2): 559–568.
  6. ^ "Allium cristophii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. ^ Allium cristophii at Flower Growing Guides of Cornell University
  8. ^ "Allium cristophii". www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  9. ^ "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). www.rhs.org. Royal Horticultural Society. November 2018. p. 4. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Allium cristophii". Farmer Gracy. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  11. ^ "Allium cristophii". BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  12. ^ "Allium cristophii (Star of Persia)". Gardenia.net. Retrieved 2021-06-18.


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