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Gerald L. Klingaman
Liliaceae
ALLIUM cepa var. viviparum
Egyptian Onion
The outlandish "flower heads" of Egyptian onion contain bulbs instead of blooms. Like other varieties of garden onion (known collectively as Allium cepa), they are biennials that originated in Central Asia but that are unknown in the wild.
The pale- to mid-green, hollow, awl-shaped leaves of Egyptian onion arise from a large, papery-coated bulb. In summer, spherical clusters of small bulbs ("bulbils") are borne atop tall stems. The clusters may also include a scattering of small yellowish-white flowers. Bulbils often begin to produce roots and shoots while still on the stem. The weight of the fattening bulbils causes the stems to eventually flop, resulting in new plants where bulbils contact soil.
Garden onions require full sun and regular watering because of their shallow roots. Grow them in loose, rich, well-drained soil. Plant Egyptian onion bulbs in late summer or fall for a crop of bulbils the following summer. Harvest the bulbils after the stems topple, and use them for pickling or in soups and stews. The bulbils store for months in cool, dark, dry conditions. Young Egyptian onion leaves are delicious in salads, baked dishes, and stir-fries.
9 - 1
4 - 9
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vegetable
Full Sun, Partial Sun
2'-3' / 0.6m - 0.9m
4"-12" / 10.2cm - 30.5cm
Early Summer, Summer
Asia
Neutral
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Drought
Medium
Average Water
Clump-Forming
Summer
None
Green, Light Green
No
Yes
Matte
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
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