List of onion cultivars

Last updated

There are dozens of cultivars of the onion (Allium cepa), one of the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium, But there are also other species cultivated as 'onions'. Many are named after the first person to breed them, or the locality they came from. Different localities often use their own common names for cultivars that are genetically almost identical. Sometimes different cultivars are known by the same common name (for example the name 'Chinese chives' could be referring to Allium odorum or Allium tuberosum). This list is based on the USDAs accepted classification. [1]

Cultivar names

Common nameScientific nameImageNotes
Abrams' onion Allium abramsii
(Ownbey & Aase) McNeal
Allegheny onion Allium allegheniense
Small
Aspen onion Allium bisceptrum
S. Watson var. palmeri (S. Watson) Cronquist
Allium Bisceptrum.jpg
Autumn onion Allium stellatum
Fraser ex Ker Gawl.
Allium stellatum TN.jpg
Bear garlic, Ramsons, Wild Garlic Allium ursinum
L.
Allium ursinum0.jpg
Beegum onion Allium hoffmanii
Ownbey
Bigelow's onion Allium bigelovii
S. Watson
Black garlic Allium nigrum
L.
Allium nigrum (Allium magicum) Bot. Mag. 29. 1148. 1809.jpg
Blue Mountain onion Allium dictuon
H. St. John
Bolander's onion Allium bolanderi
S. Watson and vars. bolanderi, mirabile, stenanthum
Brandegee's onion Allium brandegeei
S. Watson
Alliumbrandegeei.JPG
Broadleaf wild leek Allium ampeloprasum
L.
A.ampeloprasum 1.jpg
Broadleaf wild leek Allium atroviolaceum
Boiss.
Broadstemmed onion Allium platycaule
S. Watson
Alliumplatycaule.jpg
Bulbil onion Allium geyeri
S. Watson var. tenerum M.E. Jones
Allium geyeri.jpg
Burlew's onion Allium burlewii
Davidson
Cascade onion Allium cratericola
Eastw.
Allium cratericola.jpg
Chinese chives Allium odorum
L.
Chinese chives Allium tuberosum
Rottler ex Spreng.
Allium tuberosum2.jpg
Clokey's onion Allium howellii
Eastw. var. clokeyi Ownbey & Aase
Coastal onion Allium dichlamydeum
Greene
Allium dichlamydeum.jpg
Columbian onion Allium columbianum
(Ownbey & Mingrone) P. Peterson, Annable & Rieseberg
Alliumdouglasiicolumbianum.jpg
Compact onion Allium vineale
L. ssp. compactum (Thuill.) Coss. & Germ.
Alliumvineale1web.jpg
Congdon's onion Allium sanbornii
Alph. Wood var. congdonii Jeps.
Allium sanbornii congdonii.jpg
Crinkled onion Allium crispum
Greene
Allium crispum 3.jpg
Cuddy Mountain onion Allium fibrillum
M.E. Jones
Alliumfibrillum.jpg
Cultivated garlic Allium sativum
L.
Allium sativum Woodwill 1793.jpg
Darkred onion Allium atrorubens
S. Watson and vars. atrorubens, cristatum
Dotted onion Allium punctum
L.F. Hend.
Douglas' onion Allium douglasii
Hook.
Drummond's onion Allium drummondii
Regel
Allium drummondii drawing.png
Dusky onion Allium campanulatum
S. Watson
Alliumcampanulatum.jpg
Early onion Allium praecox
Brandegee
Alliumpraecox.jpg
Egyptian onion Allium proliferum
(hybrid of A. cepa and A. fistulosum)
Allium fistulosum bulbifera0.jpg
Elmendorf's onion Allium elmendorfii
M.E. Jones ex Ownbey
Field garlic Allium oleraceum
L.
Allium oleraceum - rohulauk Keilas2.jpg
Fragile onion Allium scilloides
Douglas ex S. Watson
Fraser meadow garlic Allium canadense
L. var. fraseri Ownbey
Allium canadense.jpg
Fringed onion Allium fimbriatum
S. Watson and var. fimbriatum
Allium fimbriatum.jpeg
Garden leek Allium porrum
L.
Leeks.JPG
Garden onion Allium cepa
L.
Mixed onions.jpg
    Synonyms
  • Allium cepa var. aggregatumG. Don
  • Allium cepa var. anglicumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. argenteumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. bifoliumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. bulbiferumRegel
  • Allium cepa var. crinidesAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. flandricumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. globosumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. hispanicumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. jamesiiAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. lisboanumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. luteumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. multiplicansL.H. Bailey
  • Allium cepa var. portanumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. praecoxAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. proliferum(Moench) Regel
  • Allium cepa var. rosumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. sanguineumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. solaninumAlef
  • Allium cepa var. sylvestreRegel
  • Allium cepa var. tripolitanumAlef.
  • Allium cepa var. viviparum(Metz) Mansf.
  • Allium cepaeumSt.-Lag.
  • Allium communeNoronha
  • Allium cumariaBuch.-Ham. ex Wall.
  • Allium esculentumSalisb.
  • Allium napusPall. ex Kunth
  • Allium nigritanumA.Chev. [Invalid]
  • Allium pauciflorumWilld. ex Ledeb.
  • Allium salotaDostál
  • Ascalonicum sativumP.Renault
  • Cepa albaP.Renault
  • Cepa esculentaGray
  • Cepa pallensP.Renault
  • Cepa rubraP.Renault
  • Cepa vulgaris(L.) Garsault [invalid]
  • Kepa esculenta(L.) Raf.
  • Porrum cepa(L.) Rchb.
  • [2] [3] [4]
Geyer's onion Allium geyeri
S. Watson and vars. chatterleyi, geyeri
Allium geyeri.jpg
Gland onion Allium glandulosum
Link & Otto
Glassy onion Allium hyalinum
Curran
Alliumhyalinum1.jpg
Goodding's onion Allium gooddingii
Ownbey
Grand Coulee onion Allium constrictum
(Ownbey & Mingrone) P. Peterson, Annable & Rieseberg
Hickman's onion Allium hickmanii
Eastw.
Howell's onion Allium howellii
Eastw. and var. howellii
Hyacinth meadow garlic Allium canadense
L. var. hyacinthoides (Bush) Ownbey & Aase
Allium canadense.jpg
Jepson's onion Allium jepsonii
(Ownbey & Aase) S. Denison & McNeal
Alliumjepsonii.jpg
Jeweled onion Allium serra
McNeal & Ownbey
Allium serra.jpg
Kern's pitted onion Allium lacunosum
S. Watson var. kernense McNeal & Ownbey
Alliumlacunosumlac.jpg
Kunth's onion Allium kunthii
G. Don
Largeflower onion Allium macropetalum
Rydb.
Lemmon's onion Allium lemmonii
S. Watson
Lillydale onion Allium oxyphilum
Wherry
Little River Canyon onion Allium speculae
Ownbey & Aase
Allium speculae.jpg
Manyflower onion Allium pleianthum
S. Watson
Onion (3508877673).jpg
Meadow garlic Allium canadense
L. and vars. canadense, ecristatum, lavandulare, mobilense
Mediterranean onion Allium paniculatum
L.
Allium paniculatum Enfoque 2011-6-11 CampodeCalatrava.jpg
Mexicali onion Allium peninsulare
Lemmon ex Greene
Alliumpeninsulare.jpg
Mojave fringed onion Allium fimbriatum
S. Watson var. mohavense (Tidestr.) Jeps.
Allium fimbriatum.jpeg
Munz's onion Allium munzii
(Ownbey ex Traub) McNeal
Allium munzii.jpg
Narrowleaf onion Allium amplectens
Hook.
Allium amplectens 0061.JPG
Narrowleaf wild leek Allium burdickii
(Hanes) A.G. Jones
Nevada onion Allium nevadense
S. Watson
Allium nevadense 6.jpg
Nevius' garlic Allium nevii
S. Watson
New Mexican nodding onion Allium cernuum
Roth var. neomexicanum (Rydb.) J.F. Macbr.
Allium cernuum-IMG 4315.jpg
Nodding onion Allium cernuum
Roth and vars. cernuum, obtusum
Allium cernuum 2853.JPG
Olympic onion Allium crenulatum
Wiegand
Allium crenulatum 5231.JPG
One-leaf onion Allium unifolium
Kellogg
Allium unifolium.jpg
Pacific onion Allium validum
S. Watson
Allium validum flower.jpg
Papery onion Allium membranaceum
Ownbey
Parish's onion Allium parishii
S. Watson
Allium parishii.jpg
Parry's fringed onion Allium parryi
S. Watson
Passey's onion Allium passeyi
N.H. Holmgren & A.H. Holmgren
Peninsula onion Allium peninsulare
Lemmon ex Greene var. peninsulare
Alliumpeninsulare.jpg Many references give the common name "Penisula Onion", this may be a perpetuated typo, but EOL [5] uses "Peninsula onion"
Pitted onion Allium lacunosum
S. Watson and vars. davisiae, lacunosum, lacunosum, micranthum
Alliumlacunosumlac.jpg
Plains onion Allium perdulce
S.V. Fraser and var.perdulce
Purdy's fringed onion Allium fimbriatum
S. Watson var. purdyi (Eastw.) Ownbey & Aase
Rakkyo Allium chinense
G. Don
Allium chinense1.jpg
Ramp Allium tricoccum
Aiton
Wild Leeks.jpeg
Rawhide Hill onion Allium tuolumnense
(Ownbey & Aase) S. Denison & McNeal
Allium tuolumnense 2.jpg
Red Sierra onion Allium obtusum
Lemmon and vars. conspicuum, obtusum
Alliumobtusum.jpg
Redskin onion Allium haematochiton
S. Watson
Allium haematochiton 8042.JPG
Robinson's onion Allium robinsonii
L.F. Hend.
Allium robinsonii 1934.JPG
Rock onion Allium macrum
S. Watson
Allium macrum 1206085.jpg
Runyon's onion Allium runyonii
Ownbey
San Benito onion Allium howellii
Eastw. var. sanbenitense (Traub) Ownbey & Aase
San Bernardino Mountain onion Allium monticola
Davidson
San Francisco onion Allium peninsulare
Lemmon ex Greene var. franciscanum McNeal & Ownbey
Alliumpeninsulare.jpg
Sanborn's onion Allium sanbornii
Alph. Wood and var. sanbornii
Allium sanbornii congdonii.jpg
Sand leek Allium scorodoprasum
L. and ssp. rotundum
Illustration Allium scorodoprasum and Allium porrum0.jpg
Scytheleaf onion Allium falcifolium
Hook. & Arn.
Allium falcifolium 4584.JPG
Serpentine onion Allium diabolense
(Ownbey & Aase) McNeal
Sevendevils onion Allium tolmiei
(Hook.) Baker ex S. Watson var. persimile Ownbey
Sharsmith's onion Allium sharsmithiae
(Ownbey & Aase) McNeal
Shortstyle onion Allium brevistylum
S. Watson
Simil onion Allium simillimum
L.F. Hend.
Siskiyou onion Allium siskiyouense
Ownbey
Allium siskiyouense.jpeg
Small onion Allium parvum
Kellogg
Table Rock Allium Parvum.jpg
South Idaho onion Allium aaseae
Ownbey
Spanish Needle onion Allium shevockii
McNeal
Alliumshevockiicloseup.jpg
Sperry's onion Allium perdulce
S.V. Fraser var. sperryi Ownbey
Striped garlic Allium cuthbertii
Small
Swamp onion Allium madidum
S. Watson
Tanners Canyon onion Allium plummerae
S. Watson
Tapertip onion Allium acuminatum
Hook.
Alliumacuminatum.JPG
Textile onion Allium textile
A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr.
Alliumtextile.jpg
Threebract onion Allium tribracteatum
Torr.
Threecorner leek Allium triquetrum
L.
Allium triquetrum01.jpg
Tolmie's onion Allium tolmiei
(Hook.) Baker ex S. Watson and var. tolmiei
Toothed onion Allium denticulatum
(Ownbey & Aase) McNeal
Allium-denticulatum-2.jpg
Triploid onion Allium cornutum
Twincrest onion Allium bisceptrum
S. Watson and var. bisceptrum
Allium Bisceptrum.jpg
Twinleaf onion Allium anceps
Kellogg
Twinleaf onion NV 2.jpg
Victory onion Allium victorialis
L.
Allium victorialis 090705a.jpg
Wakegi onion Allium wakegi
(hybrid between A. cepa and A. fistulosum)
Wallowa onion Allium tolmiei
(Hook.) Baker ex S. Watson var. platyphyllum (Tidestr.) Ownbey
Welsh onion Allium fistulosum
L.
Batun.jpg
White garlic Allium neapolitanum
Cirillo
Ailblanc.jpg
Wild chives Allium schoenoprasum
L. and vars. schoenoprasum, sibiricum
Illustration Allium schoenoprasum and Allium cepa0 clean.jpg
Wild garlic Allium vineale
L. and ssp. vineale
Alliumvineale1web.jpg
Wild onion Allium ascalonicum
L.
Allium ascalonicum flower Brisbane.jpg
Yellowflower onion Allium coryi
M.E. Jones
Yosemite onion Allium yosemitense
Eastw.
JEPS190307 Allium yosemitense (5521048438).jpg

Related Research Articles

Shallot Variety of small onion

The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion. Until 2010, the shallot was classified as a separate species, Allium ascalonicum, a name that is a synonym of Allium cepa, the species name of the onion. A. cepa is the correct name for the shallot species.

Onion Bulbous vegetable, grown for food

The onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classified as a separate species until 2010.

Scallion Vegetable derived from various species in the genus Allium

Scallions are vegetables derived from various species in the genus Allium. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onions.

<i>Allium tuberosum</i> Species of onion native to southwestern parts of the Chinese province of Shanxi

Allium tuberosum is a species of plant native to the Chinese province of Shanxi, and cultivated and naturalized elsewhere in Asia and around the world.

<i>Allium tricoccum</i> Species of wild onion

Allium tricoccum is a North American species of wild onion widespread across eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Many of the common English names for this plant are also used for other Allium species, particularly the similar Allium ursinum, which is native to Europe and Asia.

<i>Allium fistulosum</i> Species of plant

Allium fistulosum, the Welsh onion, also commonly called bunching onion, long green onion, Japanese bunching onion, and spring onion, is a species of perennial plant, often considered to be a kind of scallion.

Tree onion Species of flowering plant

The tree onion is a plant similar to the common onion (A. cepa), but with a cluster of bulblets where a normal onion would have flowers. Tree onions are also known as topsetting onions, walking onions, or Egyptian onions. Genomic evidence has conclusively shown that they are a hybrid of the common onion and the Welsh onion (A. fistulosum). However, some sources may still treat the tree onion as A. cepa var. proliferum or A. cepa Proliferum Group. Tree onion bulblets will sprout and grow while still on the original stalk. They may bend down under the weight of the new growth and take root some distance from the parent plant, giving rise to the name "walking onion". It has been postulated that the name "Egyptian onion" derived from Romani people bringing tree onions to Europe from the Indian subcontinent.

<i>Allium vineale</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium vineale is a perennial, bulb-forming species of wild onion, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and the Middle East. The species was introduced in Australia and North America, where it has become a noxious weed.

<i>Allium canadense</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium canadense, the Canada onion, Canadian garlic, wild garlic, meadow garlic and wild onion is a perennial plant native to eastern North America from Texas to Florida to New Brunswick to Montana. The species is also cultivated in other regions as an ornamental and as a garden culinary herb. The plant is also reportedly naturalized in Cuba.

Pearl onion Variety of onion

The pearl onion, also known as button, baby or silverskin onions in the UK, is a close relative of the leek, and may be distinguished from common onions by having only a single storage leaf, similar to cloves of garlic. In French they are known as oignon grelot. One English-speaking reference also mentions the term petit poireau antillais.

<i>Allium chinense</i> Edible species of plant native to China and Korea

Allium chinense is an edible species of Allium, native to China, and cultivated in many other countries. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and garlic.

<i>Allium giganteum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium giganteum, common name giant onion, is an Asian species of onion, native to central and southwestern Asia but cultivated in many countries as a flowering garden plant. It is the tallest species of Allium in common cultivation, growing to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft).

Leveillula taurica is an obligate fungal pathogen, from the phylum Ascomycota, which causes powdery mildew on onion. This disease prefers warm, dry environments. It is rare in the United States, and is currently restricted to western states. Globally, it is also a minor problem with limited occurrences in the Middle East, Europe, and South America. L. taurica causes powdery mildew of onions, but is also known to infect other allium, solanaceous, and cucurbit species. The disease has appeared in parts of the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and South and North America. Currently, it is not a cause for major concern in the U.S. and throughout the world, as its geographic extent is sparse. In addition, it is relatively easy to control through basic sanitation and reducing water stress.

<i>Ipheion uniflorum</i> Species of flowering plant

Ipheion uniflorum is a species of flowering plant, related to the onions, so is placed in the allium subfamily (Allioideae) of the Amaryllidaceae. It is known by the common name springstar, or spring starflower. Along with all the species of the genus Ipheion, some sources place it in the genus Tristagma, but research published in 2010 suggested that this is not correct. It is native to Argentina and Uruguay, but is widely cultivated as an ornamental and reportedly naturalized in Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

<i>Allium senescens</i> Species of plant

Allium senescens, commonly called aging chive, German garlic, or broadleaf chives, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium.

<i>Allium hollandicum</i> Species of flowering plant

Allium hollandicum, the Persian onion or Dutch garlic, is a species of flowering plant native to Iran and Kyrgyzstan but widely cultivated as an ornamental because of its umbels of attractive purple flowers. It is reportedly naturalized in Saint Louis County, Minnesota.

<i>Allium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants that includes hundreds of species, including the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, and chives. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and the type species for the genus is Allium sativum which means "cultivated garlic".

Leek Vegetable in the onion family

The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of Allium ampeloprasum, the broadleaf wild leek. The edible part of the plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a stem or stalk. The genus Allium also contains the onion, garlic, shallot, scallion, chive, and Chinese onion. Three closely related vegetables, elephant garlic, kurrat and Persian leek or tareh, are also cultivars of A. ampeloprasum, although different in their uses as food.

Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV) belongs to the genus Potyvirus. It was first detected in leek but also infects garlic and onion worldwide. Economically less important Allium spp., such as Allium angulosum, Allium caeruleum, Allium cyathophorum, Allium nutans, Allium scorodoprasum, Allium senescens subsp. montanum were also found to harbor the virus.

References

  1. "Classification USDA PLANTS". 2014-03-15.
  2. "The Plant List, Allium cepa" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  3. "Allium cepa: Garden onion". The PLANTS Database. USDA: NRCS. 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-31.
  4. "Allium cepa L." ITIS. 2013-03-08. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  5. "Mexicali Onion - Allium peninsulare - Common names - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 17 October 2018.