Allium nevadense

Nevada onion, Nevada onion, Nevada onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Nevada onion is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in the Desert Mountains in sandy or gravelly slopes at elevations of 1,300 to 1,700 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers in small clusters with 5 to 25 blossoms, each flower 7 to 12 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb that produces 1 to 2 small bulblets at its base. Its single leaf is distinctively cylindrical and nearly twice the stem's length, with a tightly coiled tip that withers over time. The plant's bulb is characterized by intricate, transversely elongated cell patterns on its outer coating, creating a unique textural signature.

Habitat: Sandy or gravelly slopes

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: 1300-1700 m

Bioregions: DMtns

California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Nevada

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