Allium diabolense
Diablo onion
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium diabolense (Diablo onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by white flowers with pink markings on serpentine.
Diablo onion is a California native perennial found in the Mount Hamilton Range, southern Coastal Ranges, and western Transverse Ranges in dry serpentine habitats at elevations of 500 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces white flowers with pink-tipped perianth parts in clusters of 10 to 50 blooms. Growing with slender stems 7 to 20 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb with a distinctive red-brown outer coating. Its single leaf is cylindrical and typically 1.5 to 3 times the length of the stem, with an elegant, sparse growth habit. The plant's ovary features six prominent, jagged crests that add intriguing botanical detail to its delicate white and pink flowers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species - distinguished by white flowers with pink markings on serpentine
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry serpentine
Elevation: 500-1500 m
California counties: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Kern, Santa Clara, Monterey, Stanislaus
Bloom period
Allium diabolense blooms Apr-Jun.
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 diabolense native to California?
Yes. Allium diabolense is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium diabolense bloom?
Allium diabolense blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Allium diabolense grow?
Allium diabolense occurs in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Alameda, Kern, Santa Clara, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of 500-1500 m.
What plant family does Allium diabolense belong to?
Allium diabolense is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium diabolense grow in?
Allium diabolense grows in dry serpentine.
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.