Shallot
Allium ascalonicum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. It is a bulb plant. It grows to about 30 cm high. The bulb can be 6 cm across. The protective coat over the bulbs is purplish, brown or white. The leaves are 10-35 cm long by 3-10 mm wide. It often produces new shoots from the base. These form a group of small bulbs. The leaves are narrow and thin. They are flat on one side. They taper and can reach 40 cm high. They are purplish-red or brown. There are a cluster of single bulbs at the base. The flowers occur as 25-50 flowers in a head. The flowers are violet.

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! Root (Fresh weight) Water: 79.8 Calories: 72 Protein: 2.5 Fat: 0.1 Carbohydrate: 16.8 Fibre: 0.69999 Ash: 0.8 Calcium: 37 Phosphorus: 60 Iron: 1.2 Sodium: 12 Potassium: 334 Vitamin A: 0 Thiamine: 0.05999 Riboflavin: 0.01999 Niacin: 0.2 Vitamin C: 8 They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Nepal it is grown between 500 and 2000 m altitude. It does best in fertile, well-drained sandy soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7, but tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3. It tolerates a range of soils but does best in light well drained soils.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Brazil, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, Georgia, Ghana, Guyana, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Singapore, South Africa, Southern China, Slovakia, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Europe, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Iraq, Indonesia, Kurdistan, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mexico, Middle East, Myanmar, Nauru, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Rotuma, Salvador, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, USSR, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Both the bulbs and the leaves can be eaten as a vegetable. The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are used raw or to flavour salads.

It is a cultivated food plant.

Edible parts

Leaves, bulbs, flowers, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by using bulbs. The clumps are uprooted and divided. Plants are spaced 15-20 cm apart. Bulbs are planted to half the bulb depth.

The first leaves can be harvested after 2-3 months. The plant is easier to grow than onions, matures faster and keeps better, though yields are lower. Plants are very tolerant of high temperatures up to 30°C and bulbing only occurs at temperatures above 20°C. Plants rarely produce viable seed in temperate areas, they are usually propagated by means of their bulbs, each one dividing up in the growing season to produce from 2 to more than 12 new bulbs.

Its other names

Local names

Aka wakegi, Albasa, Alubosa, An-yaba, Anyenze, Basale, Bawang merah, Brambang abang, Chalote, Chhyapi, Chota piaz, Doakhom, Elewe, Gandana, Gundhun, Hyeene, Hanh huong, Hom daeng, Irravengayam, Irulli, Jungli piyaj, Khtim kraham, Kon tsung-tau, Kyet-thun-ni, Rathu-lunu, Ratu-lunu, Sabala sopradaa, Sabolai, Safa, šalotka, Samana sabola, Shalamta, Siba, Sibuyas, Sinna vengayam, Sjalot, Te anian, Tongolomadinika, Varasa, Yabas, Yabasi

Synonyms

Allium carneum Willd.; Allium fissile Gray; Allium hierochintinum Bossier; Porrum ascalonicum (L.) Rchb.;