Allium lemmonii
Lemmon's onion
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium lemmonii (Lemmon's onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by unique flat winged stem and sickle-shaped leaves.
Lemmon's onion is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains and Modoc Plateau in drying clay soils at elevations of 1,200 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers in clusters of 10 to 40 blooms, each flower 6 to 9 millimeters long. Growing with flat, narrowly winged stems 15 to 20 centimeters tall, it emerges from an ovoid bulb 15 to 22 millimeters in size. Its two flat, sickle-shaped leaves are approximately equal in length to the stem, with an elegant, curved profile. The plant has an intricate bulb with outer cells arranged in vertical rows, giving it a distinctive textural quality.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species; unique flat winged stem and sickle-shaped leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Drying clay soils
Elevation: 1200-1900 m
California counties: Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Alpine, Modoc, Nevada, Siskiyou, Placer, Shasta, Mono
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Nevada
Bloom period
Allium lemmonii blooms May-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 lemmonii native to California?
Yes. Allium lemmonii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium lemmonii bloom?
Allium lemmonii blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Allium lemmonii grow?
Allium lemmonii occurs in Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Alpine, Modoc, Nevada, Siskiyou, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 1200-1900 m.
What plant family does Allium lemmonii belong to?
Allium lemmonii is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium lemmonii grow in?
Allium lemmonii grows in Common. Drying clay soils.
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.