Allium chinense
rakkyo
Family AmaryllidaceaeAlso called Chinese onion, Chinese scallion, Japanese scallion, Oriental onion
IUCN: Least concern Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
About
Allium chinense is an edible onion from China, grown across Asia for its mild bulbs, which are usually pickled.
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
- Not recorded.
- 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
Distribution & habitat
Native to southern and eastern China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang); naturalised elsewhere in Asia and in North America.
Cultivation notes
Its mild, fresh-tasting bulbs are pickled and served as a side dish, for example as rakkyo with Japanese curry and as cu kieu at the Vietnamese New Year.
Conservation
Assessed by the IUCN as Least Concern.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- China
- IUCN status
- Least concern
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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