Altai onion
Allium altaicum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant with a bulb. The plant grows up to 30 cm high. The bulbs are formed in clusters on a rhizome and are 4 cm wide.

There are about 300-700 Allium species. Most species of Allium are edible (Flora of China). All alliums are edible but they may not all be worth eating! They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Where it is found

It is a cold temperate plant. It grows naturally in rocky areas from Siberia to Mongolia. It prefers a sunny position in a light well drained soil. It can do well in moist and acid soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia

How it is used for food

The bulb is eaten raw or cooked. It is used for flavouring. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are eaten raw as a garnish on salads.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, roots, bulb

How it is grown

Seed can be used to grow plants but these take a year to become established. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. Bulbs can be obtained by division of the clumps.

Its other names

Local names

Luk altajskij

Synonyms

Allium ceratophyllum Besser ex Schult. & Schult.f.; Allium microbulbum Prokh.; Allium sapidissimum R. Hedw.; Allium sapidissimum Pall. ex Schult. & Schult.f.;