Blue onion
Allium cyaneum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant which forms clumps. It grows 30 cm high. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are grass like and very narrow. They are 2 mm wide. The flowers occur in clusters. There are 10-12 purple or blue flowers in a nodding head.

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 temperate plant. It grows on the edges of forests and in meadows between 2,100-5,000 m above sea level in China. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China (country/location of origin), Himalayas, Korea, Slovenia, Tibet

How it is used for food

It is used as a spice or flavouring. It is dried for later use.

It is highly valued.

Edible parts

Bulb ?

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Temnomodri luk

Synonyms

Allium hugonianum Rendle; Allium purdomii W. W. Sm.; Allium szechuanicum F. T. Wang & Tang; Allium tui F. T. Wang & Tang;