Allium amplectens
Narrow leaved onion
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium amplectens (Narrow leaved onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by red inner coats and folded perianth in fruit.
Narrow leaved onion is a California native perennial found in the California Floristic Province and Warner Mountains in open or wooded clay habitats, including serpentine areas, at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to pink flowers in clusters of 10 to 50 blooms, each 5 to 9 millimeters long with delicate lanceolate petals. Growing with slender stems 15 to 50 centimeters tall, it develops 2 to 4 approximately cylindrical leaves shorter than the stem. Its small ovoid to nearly spherical bulb features distinctive outer coat cells with an obscure, wavy herringbone pattern and typically reddish inner coats. The plant's ovary develops six subtle crests that become more pronounced as the flower matures.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 63 sympatric species - distinguished by red inner coats and folded perianth in fruit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Clays including serpentine, open or wooded places
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: Mendocino, San Diego, Lake, Santa Clara, Butte, Yuba, Humboldt, Nevada, Siskiyou, Glenn, Tehama, San Joaquin, Napa, Shasta, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Del Norte, Alameda, Tuolumne, Colusa, El Dorado, Modoc, Trinity, Solano, Marin, Mariposa, Lassen, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Sonoma, Tulare, Madera, Monterey, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Stanislaus, Sutter, San Benito, Sacramento, Merced, Mono, Yolo
Outside California: to British Columbia
Bloom period
Allium amplectens blooms Apr-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Triteleia: Allium smells like onion when crushed; triplet lily has no smell.; vs Agapanthus: Allium smells like onion; lily-of-the-Nile has no smell and much larger flowers.; vs Dipterostemon: Allium smells like onion when crushed; ookow has no onion smell.; vs Nothoscordum: Allium smells like onion when crushed; false garlic has no smell.; vs Tulbaghia: Allium has flowers in tight umbels; society garlic has flowers in loose open clusters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Allium amplectens native to California?
Yes. Allium amplectens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium amplectens bloom?
Allium amplectens blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Allium amplectens grow?
Allium amplectens occurs in Mendocino, San Diego, Lake, Santa Clara, Butte, Yuba, Humboldt, Nevada and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Allium amplectens belong to?
Allium amplectens is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium amplectens grow in?
Allium amplectens grows in Clays including serpentine, open or wooded places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.