Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum
Pitted onion
Photo: parent species Allium lacunosum · (c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum (Pitted onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by dense clusters, short pedicels, and large flowers in coastal habitats.
Pitted onion is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, southern San Joaquin Valley, South Coast Ranges, Southern California Coast, and northern Channel Islands in serpentine outcrops and clay habitats at elevations of 50 to 1,000 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces small white to pinkish flowers in dense clusters with 5 to 25 individual blooms. Growing with slender stems up to 30 centimeters tall, it develops a compact, clustered inflorescence with two distinctive bracts. Its narrow leaves are typically grass-like and emerge from a small underground bulb. The flowers are relatively small, measuring 6 to 9 millimeters across, and are arranged in tight, spherical clusters characteristic of the Allium genus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species; distinguished by dense clusters, short pedicels, and large flowers in coastal habitats
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine outcrops, clay
Elevation: 50-1000 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, Marin, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura, Calaveras, Kern, Mono, San Diego, Napa
Bloom period
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum blooms Apr-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 lacunosum var. lacunosum native to California?
Yes. Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum bloom?
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum grow?
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum occurs in San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Santa Barbara, Marin, Monterey, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of 50-1000 m.
What plant family does Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum belong to?
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum grow in?
Allium lacunosum var. lacunosum grows in Serpentine outcrops, clay.
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.