Allium incomptum

Minnesota mountain onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Minnesota mountain onion is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in mountain ridgetops in conifer forest and chaparral at elevations of 1,180 to 1,300 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces whitish to pale pink flowers with greenish midveins, with 17 to 55 flowers opening asynchronously in an umbel. Growing with very short stems 3 to 8 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb 15 to 28 millimeters in size. Its two leaves are distinctively broad and flat, measuring 1 to 7 millimeters wide and significantly taller than the plant's stem. The flower's stamens extend 1 to 4 millimeters beyond the narrow lanceolate perianth parts, creating a delicate and distinctive appearance.

Habitat: Open, rocky, gravelly, mountain ridgetops in conifer forest and chaparral

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 1180-1300 m

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