PlantFiles: Star of Persia, Allium
Allium christophii

We moved into our new home in northern North Dakota last fall, I planted 12 bulbs and 11 beautiful flowers grew this year. I planted them on the south side of the house, with full sun and no mulch. We live in zone 3, and had -40 degree weather (and colder) over the winter. They are extremely hardy! I've had so many compliments that I'm drying the seed heads and planning to share them with family and friends.

I put in a dozen bulbs amongst Lady's Mantle in the autumn of 2007. The following spring, all 12 emerged then produced 10" spheres of amethyst blooms in early summer. The combination of lavender hues and chartreuse was very effective. Even after the allium blossoms faded, the flowerheads remained as very striking-looking spheres in the border for the remainder of the summer and fall.

This plant elicits comments and questions more than any in my garden when it's blooming and for weeks afterwards as the dry seedhead still looks like fireworks. It has been perennial for me, even coming back for 7 years in a poor garden situation where I have a MG project. I am adding more this year.

This is another huge globed Allium, with it's 10+ inch globes that are an incredible Deep Violet color with a hint of Silver and a touch of green in the centers it is indeed striking and a beauty in any garden. Beautiful Sword like leaves top it all off and keep a spot for future blooms the next season.

Planted Star of Persia last fall on a whim -- and what a successful whim it was! All five bloomed this late spring (just as iris were fading), with 8" or so across heads containing 100 or so (I didn't count) individual stars of a gun-metal blue. Gorgeous. I'm thinking of moving them away from the iris, though -- they're a bit shorter and I want to show them off next spring! (Perhaps with a background of "Black Tie Affair" bearded iris?) I'm in Zone 6, they get full sun.

These are fantastic! My husband calls them dandilions on steriods! I planted 5 or 6 bulbs 3 years ago. The first year, only one deformed flower appeared and some leaves. Last year, there was one 6-7 inch bloom and more leaves. This year, there is a 12" bloom plus 4 smaller blooms, about 6-7 inches. Next year I anticipate them to be all 12 inch in size. They are on the south side of the house in zone 4 with no winter mulch.

I have several bulbs growing happily here in Zone 4, and without winter mulch. Perhaps it is the thaw-
freeze cycles that determine the difference?

I have not found this variety of allium to be hardy in Zone 5, even with mulch! The only occasion this variety overwinters is when we have had an extremely mild (Zone 6/7) winter!

Allium christophii bears the largest flowers in the genus. Spherical clusters 8-12" across, composed of many amethyst blue star shaped flowers that are 1/2" wide. There are 3-7 leaves on sturdy 1 1/2-2' stalks. They need full sun and bloom from early spring to early summer.

May be left undisturbed for years until fewer blooms signal that bulbs are overcrowded. They can be separated after foliage dies back. Winter mulch should be used north of Zone 5.