About
Allium cepa (Cepa Group) 'Karmen' is a bulbous perennial cultivated primarily for its edible bulbs. It features erect, bluish-green foliage. The bulbs are rounded and slightly flattened, boasting a white interior adorned with crimson red rings, all encased in a red skin. This variety can be sown in spring for a summer yield or in autumn for a spring harvest. Originating from Spain, it is noted for its mild, sweet flavor.
About the genus
Allium consists of bulbous herbaceous perennials characterized by a pronounced onion or garlic aroma. They feature linear, strap-like, or cylindrical leaves that arise from the base. The flowers, which can be star-shaped or bell-shaped, are arranged in an umbel atop a stem that lacks leaves.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H4
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbs - Culinary, Bulbs
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in free-draining, fertile soil in full sun. Keep well watered in dry periods but stop watering when bulbs become swollen
- Pruning
- Remove any flowerheads that appear. Harvest when leaves fade to yellow and droop
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed or by onion sets. See how to grow: onions or sowing vegetable seeds
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to stem and bulb eelworm, leek moth and onion fly
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to rusts