Allium bolanderi var. mirabile

Bolander's onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Bolander's onion is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern North Coast Ranges in rocky clay habitats, including serpentine, at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces narrowly lanceolate perianth parts 9 to 14 millimeters long in delicate clusters. Growing with a distinctive oblique-oblong bulb 10 to 20 millimeters long that develops a tuber-like appearance, the plant has an irregular outer bulb coat that breaks into unique edges. Its bulb structure is particularly notable, with an unusual oblique shape that distinguishes it from other onion species. The plant thrives in challenging serpentine clay environments, demonstrating remarkable adaptability in harsh rocky terrain.

Habitat: Uncommon. Rocky clays including serpentine

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: < 1000 m

Bioregions: KR, n NCoR

California counties: Siskiyou, Mendocino, Trinity, Humboldt

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