Naple’s garlic, Naples onion
Allium neapolitanum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant. It grows to 10-30 cm high. The bulbs are 10 - 20 mm across. There are 2-3 flat leaves with keels per bulb. The leaves are narrow and blue-green. They are 30 cm long. The flower stems are almost triangle shaped. They can be 60 cm long. The flowers are white and cup-shaped. They are in a slightly nodding head. The heads are 8 cm wide. They have a sweet scent.

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 warm temperate to Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in dry grassy and stony habitats. In Hobart Botanical gardens. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Asia, Australia, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Europe, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, North Africa, North America, Portugal, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, USA

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 or cooked.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulb

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cebollina, Daffodil garlic, Flowering onion, Neapeljski luk, White Garlic, Yabani sarmisak

Synonyms

Allium album Santi; Allium amblyopetalum Link; Allium inodorum Aiton; and others