Small alpine onion
Allium humile

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant. It as a single long bulb. The covering is brown and like a net. There are 4-7 leaves and they are narrow. They are 4-5 mm wide. They are flat and solid and fleshy. The scape is 5-15 cm long. It is covered with leaf sheaths only at the base. The flower head is half round with many flowers. They are white.

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 occurs on slopes at high elevations between 4000-4500 m altitude in S China. It occurs between 3000-4000 m altitude in Uttar Pradesh in India. It can grow in cold arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Pakistan, Tibet

How it is used for food

The young leaves are used as a green vegetable. They are also dried and used as a condiment.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Darmi Dhun, Jamboo, Kue, Lasanya, Nik, Pangari, Pangri, Xue jiu

Synonyms

Allium govanianum Wall. ex Baker; Allium nivale Jacquemont ex J.D. Hooker & Thomson;