Allium cristophii

{{short description|Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae}}

{{Speciesbox

| taxon = Allium cristophii

| parent = Allium subg. Melanocrommyum

|image=R10 kamera033be.jpg

| image2 = Allium albopilosum.jpg

| image2_caption = Allium cristophii1904 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)

| authority = Trautv., conserved name[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27409941#page/268/mode/1up Trautvetter, Ernst Rudolf von. 1884. Trudy Imperatorskago S.-Peterburgskago Botaničeskago Sada 9(1): 268.]

|synonyms=*Allium christophii Trautv., alternate spelling

• Caloscordum cristophii (Trautv.) Banfi & Galasso
• Allium albopilosum C.H.Wright
• Allium bodeanum Regel
• Allium walteri Regel

|synonyms_ref=[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/synonomy.do?name_id=295301 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]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.Brummitt, R. K. 2001. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 51. Taxon 50(2): 559–568.

}}

Allium cristophii, the Persian onion or star of Persia,{{GRIN | accessdate = 16 December 2017}}[http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scenec7fd.html Allium cristophii] at [http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scenee139.html Flower Growing Guides] of Cornell University 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. It may be sold under the synonym of Allium albopilosum.

Star of Persia grows to {{convert|50|cm|in|abbr=on}} and is cultivated in gardens for its large showy umbels of silvery pink star-shaped flowers, {{convert|20-25|cm|in|abbr=on}} 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.{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/816/Allium-cristophii/Details | title = Allium cristophii | website = www.rhs.org | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 27 February 2020}}{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = November 2018 | page = 4 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | website = www.rhs.org | access-date = 27 February 2020}}

A. cristophii performs best in sun to part shade.{{Cite web|title=Allium cristophii|url=https://www.farmergracy.co.uk/products/allium-christophii-bulbs-uk|access-date=2021-06-18|website=Farmer Gracy}} It is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.{{Cite web|title=Allium cristophii|url=https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/allium-cristophii/|access-date=2021-06-18|website=BBC Gardeners' World Magazine|language=en}} It prefers sandy, gritty soil with good drainage, and is best suited to USDA hardiness zones 5–8.{{Cite web|title=Allium cristophii (Star of Persia)|url=https://www.gardenia.net/plant/allium-cristophii-star-of-persia|access-date=2021-06-18|website=Gardenia.net}}

Image:0 Allium cristophii - Ail Étoile de Perse (1).jpg