Allium atrorubens

Dark red onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Dark red onion is a California native perennial found in rocky or dry habitats at mid to high elevations. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces red-purple to pink flowers in clusters with 5 to 50 individual blossoms, each 8 to 12 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 5 to 17 centimeters tall, it develops a small ovoid bulb 10 to 16 millimeters wide with brown outer layers. Its single leaf is uniquely cylindric and tightly coiled at the tip, often breaking off with age or when pressed. The plant's ovary features six distinctive triangular crests with entire or slightly notched tips, adding to its delicate botanical character.

California counties: Inyo, Mono, Tulare, Plumas, San Bernardino, Lassen

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.