Japanese bunching onion, Spring onion
Allium fistulosum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant but the bulb is indistinct. It grows to 60 cm high and 20 cm wide. The roots are side roots and fibrous. They grow in large clumps. The leaves are rounded in cross section and hollow. They grow to 15-30 cm long by 5-20 mm wide. The bulbs are very small and 4-8 cm long but only 5-25 mm across. The plant produces many side buds which develop as offshoots. Flowers grow on a stalk which comes from underground and there are many flowers on stalks around one head. This hollow stalk is 40-80 cm long. The flowers are yellow and they open from the top of the flower head downwards. There can sometimes be bulbils on the flower head.

The leaves contain about 1.4% protein, 0.3% fat, 4.6% carbohydrate, 0.8% ash, some vitamin B1 and moderate levels of vitamin C Root (Dry weight) Water: 0 Calories: 349 Protein: 18.6 Fat: 3.5 Carbohydrate: 70.9 Fibre: 9.3 Ash: Calcium: 640 Phosphorus: 477 Iron: 13 Sodium: 174 Potassium: 2233 Vitamin A: 7326 Thiamine: 0.69999 Riboflavin: 0.93 Niacin: 5.81 Vitamin C: 221. 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. It has 14.5 mg per 100 g dry weight and 7.5 mg fresh weight of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Where it is found

A temperate plant. It prefers a sunny position and a light well drained soil. It prefers a pH in the range 6.5 to 7.5, but it tolerates a pH in the range 4.9 to 7.5. A hardy plant which produces leaves throughout the winter. They are also tolerant of high temperatures and can grow in the tropics. Plants yield better when grown above 1,000 m in the tropics. In Papua New Guinea it has been recorded from sea level to 2,800 m above sea level. Temperatures above 25°C give less production. It suits hardiness zones 5-9. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Andes, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central Africa, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Cook Islands, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, Europe, Fiji, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mironesia, Nauru, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rotuma, Russia, SE Asia, Serbia, Siberia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tasmania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are used raw to flavour salads.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Leaves, plant, herb, flowers, vegetable, bulb, spice

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or division of the bulbs. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. These multiply producing more bulbs. Seeds are transplanted when 10 cm high. A spacing of 7-10 cm is suitable. In China soil is heaped up around the bulb to make it elongated. Seed production in the tropics is possible above about 1,000 m above sea level.

Plants are ready for harvest 50-60 days after planting.

Its other names

Local names

Atasuki, Bawang daun, Bawang bakung, Bawang oncang, Bola, Bola di nseki, Buyah, Cebolinha, Ceboule, Chang fa, Chibol, Ch'lakhvi, Ciboule, Cong, Da cong, Daun bawang, Hanh la, Hari piaz, Hom-chin, Hom-ton, Japanese leek, Lunu kolle, Multiplier onion, Ndembi, Negi, Niasibola, Oriental bunching onion, Pa, Quing cong, Scallion, Sibuyas na mura, Stony leek, Tai tsung, Te anian, Ton hom, Ts'ung fa, Welsh onion, Zimska čebula

Synonyms

Allium bakeri Hoop. non Regel; Allium bouddhae O. Debeaux;