onion seed flower Slimleaf Onion Seeds (Allium amplectens) — Northwest Meadowscapes

onion seed flower Slimleaf Onion Seeds (Allium amplectens) — Northwest MeadowscapesEdible and extremely drought tolerant Naturally occurring from southern BC southward to California, slimleaf onion arises in the spring with thin, non descript leaves, gradually producing bulbous swollen flower buds, wrapped within semi transparent leaf sheaths. These leaf sheaths open to reveal perfect pom pom umbels of star shaped white to pinkish flowers, attracting numerous small bees, gentle solitary predatory wasps hungry for nectar, syrphid

Edible and extremely drought tolerant

Naturally occurring from southern BC southward to California, slimleaf onion arises in the spring with thin, non-descript leaves, gradually producing bulbous swollen flower buds, wrapped within semi-transparent leaf sheaths. These leaf sheaths open to reveal perfect pom-pom umbels of star-shaped white to pinkish flowers, attracting numerous small bees, gentle solitary predatory wasps hungry for nectar, syrphid flies, and tiny pollen-gorging beetles.

Reaching up to about a foot in height, slimleaf onion tolerates “winter-wet, summer-dry” soils (including both rocky ground as well as heavy clay soils) but it tends to prefer very hot, dry, summer conditions during which it goes dormant to conserve moisture. This plant is very much deer resistant and quite showy. 

An interesting detail with this plant is that during flowering the lower leaves tend to dieback and wither away into the undergrowth leaving the impression of “floating” flowers within a grassy sward. Excellent as a beautiful contrasting companion plant for things like barestem biscuit root and Oregon sunshine in “gravel gardens,” or for planting as small drifts within an existing meadow. 

Approximately 100 seeds (0.5 grams).