Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)
Nodding onion is a charming perennial that gets its name from the way the light pink flower clusters bend, or nod, their heads.
Natural habitat: Rocky slopes, dry meadows
Light requirements: Sun to part sun
Soil requirements: Rocky, gravelly, well-drained
USDA hardiness: Zones 3-9
Height: 10″-12″
Spacing: 6″-12″
Wildlife value: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Deer resistance: Resistant
Rabbit resistance: Resistant
Germination requirements
60 CMS
Nodding onion seeds require 60 days of cold moist stratification (abbreviated CMS in many reference guides). Stratification is the process of pre-treating seeds to mimic their natural cycles in an artificial setting.
Cold moist stratification can be achieved by sowing the seeds in your planting medium, covering very lightly with additional medium, gently watering them in, and setting them outside for a minimum of 60 days of temperatures consistently below 40 degrees. They will germinate when the soil warms up in spring. Alternatively, you can mix the seeds with a small amount of moist (not wet) sand, perlite, or vermiculite in a plastic baggie and place it in a refrigerator for 60 days. After chilling the seeds for 60 days, sow them by spreading out the contents of the baggie on the surface of your medium, covering very lightly with additional medium, and gently watering them in.
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