About
Allium douglasii, Douglas' onion, is a pink- to purple-flowered wild onion of the inland north-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
- Mature size
- Flowering stalks up to 40 cm.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A perennial with egg-shaped bulbs up to 3 cm long and round flowering stalks up to 40 cm. Flowers are about 10 mm across, pink or purple with green midribs and blue anthers; two grooved leaves usually persist through flowering.
Distribution & habitat
North-eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and northern Idaho, in shallow soils at 400–1300 m.
History & etymology
First described by William Jackson Hooker in 1838 in Flora Boreali-Americana.
Conservation
NatureServe ranks it Apparently Secure (G4) globally, last reviewed in 1984.
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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