Allium 'OSTARA'

Ornamental onion is an attractive bulbous perennial commonly found all around mountainous regions of northern hemisphere. Most sought-after varieties are those with huge globular inflorescence in mid spring, yet there are others that bloom in the middle of summer offering handsome foliage all season round.

Ostara is a unique variety of ornamental onion. It is an interspecific hybrid between the low-growing species a. karataviense and purple-flowered species a. atropurpureum. The result is a beautiful variety with large, broad leaves and stems that are shorter than usual: only some 30-40 cm high. They are topped with wide, spherical heads composed of small, deep magenta purple flowers. They start blooming later than tall-growing varieties and also keep their leaves handsome for longer before they begin to wilt as the bulbs mature.

These garlics are best combined in perennial beds with late-emerging perennials which bloom in summer and produce plenty of stems and foliage to cover empty spaces after the garlics have withered. The ideal species are those which require the same growing conditions – full sun and well-drained to almost dry soil, such as gaura, gaillardia or echinacea.

Large-flowered ornamental onions need very well-drained soil or sand-based loam, and location in full sun. Avoid soils that remain wet especially when the plant is dormant. Should you have no other choice dig up the plant in midsummer, and plant it in a pot that is kept away from excess rain until early spring when it can be transplanted to the ground again, now with new roots that developed in the pot during dormancy. The bulb should be at least 5 cm or better 10 cm below the ground level. The stems are strong enough to withstand common weather caprices, however, open and exposed locations (windy seaside, large open fields, smooth mountain slopes etc.) are not recommended. In spite of the garlic/onion smell no part of the plant is edible. Hardy to about. -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 17-06-2023