Allium campanulatum
dusky onion
Family AmaryllidaceaeAlso called Sierra onion
About
Allium campanulatum, the dusky or Sierra onion, is a wild onion of dry foothills and mountains in the far western United States.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Allium species are toxic to cats and dogs; eating large amounts can cause hemolytic anemia, and cats are most sensitive. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Low toxicity; eating large quantities may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Full sun to light shade. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Avoid overly damp ground; wet conditions invite bulb rot and other fungal problems. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Fertile, loose, well-drained soil; sand or loam both suit. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Divide bulb offsets in spring; seed is slower and may take years to germinate. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A grey-brown bulb 1–2 cm wide, sometimes with small daughter bulblets on short rhizomes, sends up a stout stem. Usually two thin leaves wither before bloom. The umbel holds 10–50 pink, purple or occasionally white flowers 0.5–1 cm wide, each tepal with a dark base; anthers purple.
Distribution & habitat
From south-eastern Washington and northern Oregon to southern California and western Nevada, in dry foothill and mountain habitats such as chaparral.
Ecology
Flowers from May to August.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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