Wild Onion
(Scientific Name: Allium
species)
Description:
If it looks, smells, and tastes like an onion, it is one of
the many kinds of wild onions. All grow from round or oblong bulbs
about 1/2 inch in diameter. Leaves may be tubular or flat,
frequently withering before flowers appear. Flowers form a terminal
cluster on a naked stem 6-24 inches tall; color varies from white to
dark purple (commonly rose). Leaves appear in early spring, flowers
bloom from June-August depending on the elevation. Non are
poisonous.
Habitat: Moist to dry soil in valleys, on
ridges and open hillsides to about 9000 feet. Onions are among the
most abundant and widely distributed wild food plants.
Uses: The whole plant is edible either raw or
cooked by any method used for domestic onions. It is reported that
rubbing the leaves on arms and neck will repel insects.
