Allium hyalinum
Glassy onion
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium hyalinum (Glassy onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by key diagnostic features are translucent petals that fold over ovary and yellow inner bulb coats.
Glassy onion is a California native perennial found in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area on grassy slopes and outcrops at elevations of 50 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers in clusters of 5 to 25 blooms, each 6 to 10 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 15 to 45 centimeters tall, it develops from a small ovoid bulb that forms clustered groups with distinctive light yellow inner layers. Its two to three leaves are widely channeled, measuring 0.7 to 1.5 times the stem length and spreading in a graceful pattern. The delicate white flowers become translucent and fold over the ovary as they mature, creating an ethereal appearance in grassland habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species; key diagnostic features are translucent petals that fold over ovary and yellow inner bulb coats
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Grassy slopes, outcrops
Elevation: 50-1500 m
California counties: Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Amador, Mariposa, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Madera, Calaveras, Merced, Butte, Sacramento, Shasta, Stanislaus, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Nevada, Riverside, Yuba, Los Angeles, San Diego
Bloom period
Allium hyalinum blooms Mar-May.
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 hyalinum native to California?
Yes. Allium hyalinum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium hyalinum bloom?
Allium hyalinum blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Allium hyalinum grow?
Allium hyalinum occurs in Tulare, Kern, Fresno, Amador, Mariposa, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 50-1500 m.
What plant family does Allium hyalinum belong to?
Allium hyalinum is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium hyalinum grow in?
Allium hyalinum grows in Common. Grassy slopes, outcrops.
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.