Allium cuthbertii
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AL-ee-um kuth-BERT-ee-eye
- Description
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Cuthbert's onion is a perennial bulb in the lily family (Amaryllidaceae) native to SC, AL, FL and GA and found in longleaf pine sandhills. Piedmont and rocky outcroppings. The Genus name is Latin for garlic.
Cuthbert's Onion is more heat-tolerant than nodding onion and grows in poor and rocky soils or soils with good drainage in full sun to partial shade.
It blooms in May-June with clusters of white, pink or lavender flowers and then dies down in the summer. It can be identified by the bulb that has cross-hatch fibrous scales and the flowers that have a crested ovary and capsule.
This bulb is not generally found for sale. The plant could be used in small groups, naturalized areas, rock gardens and borders.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Bulb rot can occur in wet soils.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Allium
- Species:
- cuthbertii
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- SC, AL, GA, FL
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract pollinators.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a capsule with shiny seeds from June to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- White, pink, and purple flowers bloom from May to June in clusters of 10-25 star-shaped blooms that have a crested ovary and capsule
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 4-13 inch long grass-like leaves with entire or dentate margins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Description:
- Solitary, erect, green stems that are round to angled
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
