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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]
Common name | Scientific name | Image | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Abrams' onion | Allium abramsii (Ownbey & Aase) McNeal | ||
Allegheny onion | Allium allegheniense Small | ||
Aspen onion | Allium bisceptrum S. Watson var. palmeri (S. Watson) Cronquist | ||
Autumn onion | Allium stellatum Fraser ex Ker Gawl. | ||
Bear garlic, Ramsons, Wild Garlic | Allium ursinum L. | ||
Beegum onion | Allium hoffmanii Ownbey | ||
Bigelow's onion | Allium bigelovii S. Watson | ||
Black garlic | Allium nigrum L. | ||
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 | ||
Broadleaf wild leek | Allium ampeloprasum L. | ||
Broadleaf wild leek | Allium atroviolaceum Boiss. | ||
Broadstemmed onion | Allium platycaule S. Watson | ||
Bulbil onion | Allium geyeri S. Watson var. tenerum M.E. Jones | ||
Burlew's onion | Allium burlewii Davidson | ||
Cascade onion | Allium cratericola Eastw. | ||
Chinese chives | Allium odorum L. | ||
Chinese chives | Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Spreng. | ||
Clokey's onion | Allium howellii Eastw. var. clokeyi Ownbey & Aase | ||
Coastal onion | Allium dichlamydeum Greene | ||
Columbian onion | Allium columbianum (Ownbey & Mingrone) P. Peterson, Annable & Rieseberg | ||
Compact onion | Allium vineale L. ssp. compactum (Thuill.) Coss. & Germ. | ||
Congdon's onion | Allium sanbornii Alph. Wood var. congdonii Jeps. | ||
Crinkled onion | Allium crispum Greene | ||
Cuddy Mountain onion | Allium fibrillum M.E. Jones | ||
Cultivated garlic | Allium sativum L. | ||
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 | ||
Dusky onion | Allium campanulatum S. Watson | ||
Early onion | Allium praecox Brandegee | ||
Egyptian onion | Allium proliferum (hybrid of A. cepa and A. fistulosum) | ||
Elmendorf's onion | Allium elmendorfii M.E. Jones ex Ownbey | ||
Field garlic | Allium oleraceum L. | ||
Fragile onion | Allium scilloides Douglas ex S. Watson | ||
Fraser meadow garlic | Allium canadense L. var. fraseri Ownbey | ||
Fringed onion | Allium fimbriatum S. Watson and var. fimbriatum | ||
Garden leek | Allium porrum L. | ||
Garden onion | Allium cepa L. | Synonyms
| |
Geyer's onion | Allium geyeri S. Watson and vars. chatterleyi, geyeri | ||
Gland onion | Allium glandulosum Link & Otto | ||
Glassy onion | Allium hyalinum Curran | ||
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 | ||
Jepson's onion | Allium jepsonii (Ownbey & Aase) S. Denison & McNeal | ||
Jeweled onion | Allium serra McNeal & Ownbey | ||
Kern's pitted onion | Allium lacunosum S. Watson var. kernense McNeal & Ownbey | ||
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 | ||
Manyflower onion | Allium pleianthum S. Watson | ||
Meadow garlic | Allium canadense L. and vars. canadense, ecristatum, lavandulare, mobilense | ||
Mediterranean onion | Allium paniculatum L. | ||
Mexicali onion | Allium peninsulare Lemmon ex Greene | ||
Mojave fringed onion | Allium fimbriatum S. Watson var. mohavense (Tidestr.) Jeps. | ||
Munz's onion | Allium munzii (Ownbey ex Traub) McNeal | ||
Narrowleaf onion | Allium amplectens Hook. | ||
Narrowleaf wild leek | Allium burdickii (Hanes) A.G. Jones | ||
Nevada onion | Allium nevadense S. Watson | ||
Nevius' garlic | Allium nevii S. Watson | ||
New Mexican nodding onion | Allium cernuum Roth var. neomexicanum (Rydb.) J.F. Macbr. | ||
Nodding onion | Allium cernuum Roth and vars. cernuum, obtusum | ||
Olympic onion | Allium crenulatum Wiegand | ||
One-leaf onion | Allium unifolium Kellogg | ||
Pacific onion | Allium validum S. Watson | ||
Papery onion | Allium membranaceum Ownbey | ||
Parish's onion | Allium parishii S. Watson | ||
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 | 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 | ||
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 | ||
Ramp | Allium tricoccum Aiton | ||
Rawhide Hill onion | Allium tuolumnense (Ownbey & Aase) S. Denison & McNeal | ||
Red Sierra onion | Allium obtusum Lemmon and vars. conspicuum, obtusum | ||
Redskin onion | Allium haematochiton S. Watson | ||
Robinson's onion | Allium robinsonii L.F. Hend. | ||
Rock onion | Allium macrum S. Watson | ||
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 | ||
Sanborn's onion | Allium sanbornii Alph. Wood and var. sanbornii | ||
Sand leek | Allium scorodoprasum L. and ssp. rotundum | ||
Scytheleaf onion | Allium falcifolium Hook. & Arn. | ||
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 | ||
Small onion | Allium parvum Kellogg | ||
South Idaho onion | Allium aaseae Ownbey | ||
Spanish Needle onion | Allium shevockii McNeal | ||
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. | ||
Textile onion | Allium textile A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. | ||
Threebract onion | Allium tribracteatum Torr. | ||
Threecorner leek | Allium triquetrum L. | ||
Tolmie's onion | Allium tolmiei (Hook.) Baker ex S. Watson and var. tolmiei | ||
Toothed onion | Allium denticulatum (Ownbey & Aase) McNeal | ||
Triploid onion | Allium cornutum | ||
Twincrest onion | Allium bisceptrum S. Watson and var. bisceptrum | ||
Twinleaf onion | Allium anceps Kellogg | ||
Victory onion | Allium victorialis L. | ||
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. | ||
White garlic | Allium neapolitanum Cirillo | ||
Wild chives | Allium schoenoprasum L. and vars. schoenoprasum, sibiricum | ||
Wild garlic | Allium vineale L. and ssp. vineale | ||
Wild onion | Allium ascalonicum L. | ||
Yellowflower onion | Allium coryi M.E. Jones | ||
Yosemite onion | Allium yosemitense Eastw. |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Allium senescens, commonly called aging chive, German garlic, or broadleaf chives, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Allium.
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.
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".
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.