About
Allium fimbriatum, the fringed onion, is a variable pink-to-purple wild onion of California and Baja California.
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
“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 wide sends up a bare brown or green stem with up to 75 flowers just under 1 cm wide, pink to purple and often partly white; tepal shape ranges from narrow and pointed to spade-like.
Distribution & habitat
California and Baja California.
History & etymology
Many proposed varieties are now treated as separate species; the World Checklist accepts var. denticulatum, fimbriatum, mohavense and purdyi.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States, Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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