Allium bolanderi
Bolander's onion
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium bolanderi (Bolander's onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by oblique bulb and serrate perianth tips.
Bolander's onion is a California native perennial found in rocky or grassy areas at mid-elevations. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces striking red-purple to white flowers in clusters of 10 to 20 blooms with slender pedicels 10 to 20 millimeters long. Growing 10 to 35 centimeters tall with 2 to 3 approximately cylindrical leaves roughly equal in length to the stem, it emerges from a small oblique-ovoid bulb. Its leaves are slender and nearly equal in size, arising from a compact bulb with subtle herringbone-patterned outer scales. The flower clusters feature perianth parts with lanceolate segments that have serrated edges and spreading tips, creating an intricate and delicate botanical display.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species - distinguished by oblique bulb and serrate perianth tips
Habitat and range
California counties: Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Lake, Glenn, Napa, Tehama, Mendocino, Santa Clara, Colusa, Sonoma, San Diego, Butte, Del Norte
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 bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Allium bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Allium bolanderi grow?
Allium bolanderi occurs in Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Lake, Glenn, Napa, Tehama and other counties.
What plant family does Allium bolanderi belong to?
Allium bolanderi is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.