Small yellow onion, Oriental Royal Salep
Allium flavum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant. A very variable plant with forms ranging in height from 8-50 cm The bulb is small,15 mm tall and 10 mm in across. The plant keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are blue-green and 20 cm long. There are 2-3 leaves and they sheath the lower part of the stem. The leaves are cylinder shaped. The bract around the flower has 2 valves and a long tail like appendage up to 11 cm long. The flowers have a sweet scent. The flowers are pale yellow and usually produced in loose heads. The flowers droop but the seed heads are carried erect.

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 and Mediterranean climate plant. It grows naturally on dry slopes in Southern and central Europe. It prefers a sunny position and a light well drained soil. It can grow on clay soils and wetter areas. It is frost hardy. It suits hardiness zones 7-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Albania, Australia, Canada, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean, North America, Slovenia, Turkey, Türkiye

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.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulb

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or division of the bulbs. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply.

Its other names

Local names

Rumeni luk

Synonyms

Many