Allium karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’ (Turkistan Onion)

An unusual, ivory-white dwarf ornamental onion, Allium karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’ (Turkistan Onion) is quite attractive with its elegant globe-shaped clusters, 5 in. wide (12 cm), packed with starry white flowers nestled in the beautiful foliage of wide and recurved, gray-green leaves, slightly red-edged. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this bulbous perennial is an heirloom variety dating from 1876. This is one of the best Alliums for containers.

• Growing up to 8 inches high (20 cm), this beauty naturalizes easily and will come back year after year!
• Easily grown in rich, sandy to gritty, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Add grit when grown in clay soils to improve drainage. This Allium is drought tolerant after flowering is over.
• Known for attracting bees, butterflies, ​moths, and other pollinators, but deer ignore it.
• Stunning in beds and borders, gravel gardens, rock gardens, and containers. Spectacular in large sweeping drifts. Plant in groups (at least 10 to 15 bulbs) for the best visual impact. Excellent as cut flowers for both fresh and dried arrangements!
• To be planted in fall.
• Remove offsets in autumn.
• Allium karataviense is native to the Karatau Mountains in Kazakhstan.

Hundreds of Allium species exist, but only a few have made a name for themselves as garden plants. The ornamental onions distinguish themselves by their remarkable diversity in color, inflorescence, and flowering height. Many species bloom in early summer – just after the spring-flowering period and just before the exuberant full bloom of summer. Certain small species are just perfect for a rock garden, and several lend themselves to naturalizing. All species can be used in the border.