Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen'
Kara Tau garlic 'Ivory Queen'
Bulbous perennial to 25cm in height, with broad, paired, lightly pleated, glaucous green leaves, often margined red and tinged with purple, especially beneath. 50 or more umbels to 8cm across of star-shaped, greenish-white flowers are produced in summer
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Grey Silver Green | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Green White | Grey Silver Green | ||
Autumn | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical 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
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full sun and fertile well-drained soil. It is best to grow in containers where garden soil is heavy clay and prone to saturation over winter. See allium cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by offsets which can be carefully detached by lifting the bulb after flowering has finished. See bulb propagation
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Gravel garden
- Rock garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required, the dead seedheads are attractive
Pests
May be susceptible to allium leaf miner and onion fly
Diseases
May be susceptible to onion white rot, and onion downy mildew
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.