About
Allium howellii, Howell's onion, is a tall wild onion endemic to California with large heads of lavender to white flowers.
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
- Granitic or serpentine, well-drained soils in the wild.
- Propagation
- Divide bulb offsets in spring; seed is slower and may take years to germinate. General guidance for the genus
- Mature size
- Stem can exceed 50 cm.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A reddish-brown bulb 1–2 cm long produces a stem that can exceed 50 cm and a single cylindrical leaf about as long. The umbel holds up to 100 dark-veined lavender to white flowers, each under 1 cm long.
Distribution & habitat
Granite and serpentine soils in mountains, hills and valleys of California from San Joaquin County to San Bernardino County.
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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