Allium cuthbertii: Country Or Region Of Origin
SE USA
Plant Profile: Allium cuthbertii
Taxonomy: Allium cuthbertiiNames
Cuthbert's Onion, Striped Garlic
Phonetic Spelling:AL-ee-um kuth-BERT-ee-eye
Genus:Allium
Species:cuthbertii
Family:Amaryllidaceae
Cuthbert's Onion is a perennial bulb belonging to the lily family, typically found in sandy hills, Piedmont regions, and rocky outcrops. It flowers from May to June before wilting during the summer months. This plant can be recognized by its bulb, which features cross-hatch fibrous scales, and its flowers, characterized by a crested ovary and capsule. It is classified as a threatened species in North Carolina.
Compared to Nodding Onion, Cuthbert's Onion exhibits greater heat tolerance and thrives in poor, rocky soils or well-drained areas, preferring full sun to partial shade.
Allium cuthbertii Feature Summary
Allium cuthbertii Image Gallery
Tags
#NC native
#summer bulbs
#pollinator plant
#food source summer
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#native bulb
#food source bulbs
#bird friendly
#threaten species
#food source hard mast fruit
#spring flowering bulbs
#audubon
Similar Plants
Allium cuthbertii is often confused with:
Allium cuthbertii Feature Summary
Attributes
NC, SC, AL, GA, FL
Flowers attract pollinators.
Perennial
Bulb
Fruit
The fruit is a capsule with shiny seeds from June to July.
Capsule
Black
Summer
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
White, pink, and purple flowers bloom from May to June in clusters of star-shaped blooms that have a crested ovary and capsule
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Spring
6 petals/rays
Star
< 1 inch
Leaves
4-13 inch long grass-like leaves with entire or dentate margins.
Deciduous
Green
Simple
Rosulate
Linear
Entire
Dentate
> 6 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
Solitary, erect, green stems that are round to angled
Green
Round
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Native Plant
Bulb
Deciduous
Erect
Medium
Low
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Rock Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Lawn
Naturalized Area
Small Space
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Small Mammals
Hummingbirds
Allium cuthbertii Image Gallery
Allium cuthbertii Attributes
Allium cuthbertii: Distribution
NC, SC, AL, GA, FL
Allium cuthbertii: Wildlife Value
Flowers attract pollinators.
Allium cuthbertii: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Allium cuthbertii Fruit
Allium cuthbertii: Fruit Description
The fruit is a capsule with shiny seeds from June to July.
Allium cuthbertii: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Allium cuthbertii: Fruit Color
Black
Allium cuthbertii: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Allium cuthbertii: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Allium cuthbertii: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Allium cuthbertii Flowers
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Description
White, pink, and purple flowers bloom from May to June in clusters of star-shaped blooms that have a crested ovary and capsule
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Color
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Allium cuthbertii: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Allium cuthbertii Leaves
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Description
4-13 inch long grass-like leaves with entire or dentate margins.
Allium cuthbertii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Color
Green
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Allium cuthbertii: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Allium cuthbertii: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Allium cuthbertii Stem
Allium cuthbertii: Stem Description
Solitary, erect, green stems that are round to angled
Allium cuthbertii: Stem Color
Green
Allium cuthbertii: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Allium cuthbertii: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Allium cuthbertii Whole Plant Traits
Allium cuthbertii: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Allium cuthbertii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Allium cuthbertii: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Allium cuthbertii: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Allium cuthbertii: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Allium cuthbertii: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Allium cuthbertii Cultural Conditions
Allium cuthbertii: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Allium cuthbertii: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Allium cuthbertii: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Allium cuthbertii: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Allium cuthbertii: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Allium cuthbertii: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Allium cuthbertii Landscape
Allium cuthbertii: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Allium cuthbertii: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Allium cuthbertii: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
