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Allium cristophii

Persian Onion · Star of Persia

Family AmaryllidaceaeGenus Allium

Two rounded heads of star-shaped purple flowers with narrow pointed petals, above strap leaves dying back
FlowerH. ZellCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
BulbExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
bulbous geophytePlants of the World Online
Height
0.5-2 ft15-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-2 ft30-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gray/Silver, Purple/LavenderExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Iran, Turkmenistan, TürkiyeGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-8Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Star of Persia carries silvery-pink, star-shaped flowers in heads 20 to 25 cm across in early summer, followed by attractive seed heads. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and is sometimes sold as Allium albopilosum. Wikipedia: Allium cristophii

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 4, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 91 days.

87% germination in 35–91 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Allium p. 18Public domain
Show the original text
Allium (Liliaceae). A. albopilosum germ. 40(87% in 5-13 w) and 70-40(87% in 6th w)(2nd Ed.). Seeds DS 6 m and 1 y germ. the same, but seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Allium p. 18. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 24, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 42 days.

87% germination in 42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Allium p. 18Public domain
Show the original text
Allium (Liliaceae). A. albopilosum germ. 40(87% in 5-13 w) and 70-40(87% in 6th w)(2nd Ed.). Seeds DS 6 m and 1 y germ. the same, but seeds DS 2 y were dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Allium p. 18. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Sow around July 2027 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 2026.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Sown outdoors in July; up in November.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 120 days to germinate.

70% germination in 120 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Allium p. 91Public domain
Show the original text
Allium (Liliaceae). This genus showed much diversity. Germination patterns ranged from simple D-70 in A. albopilosum germ. at 40 as shown by 40(87% in 513 w) and 70(2%)- 40(87% in 3-7 w). The seed slowly dies in DS as shown by 70-40(50% in 4-8 w) and 40(62%)-70-40(12%) for seeds DS 6 m at 70. The death rate was slower in DS at 40. Fresh seeds placed outdoors in July germ. 70% in November, probably just due to the lower temperatures. Seeds treated with GA-3 rotted in 3 m. A sample labelled
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Allium p. 91. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    12 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

62% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Allium p. 91Public domain
Show the original text
Allium (Liliaceae). This genus showed much diversity. Germination patterns ranged from simple D-70 in A. albopilosum germ. at 40 as shown by 40(87% in 513 w) and 70(2%)- 40(87% in 3-7 w). The seed slowly dies in DS as shown by 70-40(50% in 4-8 w) and 40(62%)-70-40(12%) for seeds DS 6 m at 70. The death rate was slower in DS at 40. Fresh seeds placed outdoors in July germ. 70% in November, probably just due to the lower temperatures. Seeds treated with GA-3 rotted in 3 m. A sample labelled
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Allium p. 91. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around May 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on May 14, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 9 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 56 days.

50% germination in 28–56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Allium p. 91Public domain
Show the original text
Allium (Liliaceae). This genus showed much diversity. Germination patterns ranged from simple D-70 in A. albopilosum germ. at 40 as shown by 40(87% in 513 w) and 70(2%)- 40(87% in 3-7 w). The seed slowly dies in DS as shown by 70-40(50% in 4-8 w) and 40(62%)-70-40(12%) for seeds DS 6 m at 70. The death rate was slower in DS at 40. Fresh seeds placed outdoors in July germ. 70% in November, probably just due to the lower temperatures. Seeds treated with GA-3 rotted in 3 m. A sample labelled
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Allium p. 91. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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