My Syrian onion, Allium zebdanense

With the news that the relocated Syrian seedbank, ICARDA, is the first to request seed returned from the safety of the Svalbard seed vault (e.g., http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/09/rescuing-ancient-seeds-from-a-war-torn-city/406978/?utm_source=SFFB), it made me think if I had any plants from Syria in my collection. There is one I believe and it’s Allium zebdanense, a beautiful spring flowering species that is said to hail from Syria and the Lebanon. Surprising that this species should thrive in Norway (I’ve even seen it in gardens in the far north), but given that the highest mountain in Syria reach over 2,800m, it’s perhaps not that surprising after all!  Here is an album of 40 pictures featuring this Allium, almost all in my garden or in dishes I’ve made over the years.
This is for other refugees from that country, who are welcome here!

http://www.edimentals.com/pictures/index.php?/category/65

The following picture show a nice edimental grouping with variegated ground elder (skvallerkål) and daylily (daglilje)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OSevU72C1nY/Sgw-u_MQa9I/AAAAAAAAAFc/wh0Q8sWc7Do/s1600-h/009.JPG
The blogger writes “Wiry and graceful Allium zebdanense is lovely with a backdrop of Aegopodium and Daylily foliage. It is the perfect foil to the structural quality of the daylily foliage and blends well with the blanket of snow the Aegopodium provides. I love it when a happy accident turns out so spectacular such as in this situation. Allium zebdanense is native to Lebanon and Syria. It can be grown in full sun to shade.”

 

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Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden