Allium hirtifolium

RHS Plant Profile
Persian shallot

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Persian shallot visionspictures.com

Other common names

Persian onion

Synonyms

Allium hirtifolium, Allium rosenbachianum misapplied

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Bulbs
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A bulbous perennial with ribbed stems up to 150cm in height, with 4-6 broadly strap-shaped, grey-green basal leaves, hairy underneath. Tightly packed umbels of small, star-shaped, lilac-pink flowers appear in early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Chalk

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Chalk
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7
Drought Resistance
Yes

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Allium are bulbous herbaceous perennials with a strong onion or garlic scent, linear, strap-shaped or cylindrical basal leaves and star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers in an umbel on a leafless stem
Name Status
Synonym
Plant Range
Turkey to C Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in fertile well-drained soil. Add grit when grown in clay soils to improve drainage. See allium cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sowing in containers in a cold frame when just ripe or in the spring. Alternatively, remove offsets in autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to onion white rot and downy mildews