Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum
Panicled onion
(c) Aleksei Baushev, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Aleksei Baushev · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum (Panicled onion) is a non-native California perennial in the Alliaceae family, recognized by non-native with distinctive tall stature, sheathing leaves, and long unequal bracts.
Panicled onion is a naturalized perennial found in southern Northwestern and northern Central Western California in disturbed areas at elevations around 50 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces delicate white to lilac-pink flowers in clusters of 25 to 100 blooms, each flower bell-shaped and 4.5 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 30 to 70 centimeters tall, it develops 3 to 5 channeled leaves that sheath the stem's lower 30 to 50 percent. Its leaves are accompanied by two long-tapered unequal bracts, with the longer bract extending 5 to 14 centimeters. The plant emerges from a small ovoid bulb 10 to 15 millimeters in size, with light brown inner coating and a subtly textured outer layer.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 38 sympatric species; non-native with distinctive tall stature, sheathing leaves, and long unequal bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: +- 50 m.
Outside California: native to southern Europe
Bloom period
Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum blooms Jun-Jul.
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 paniculatum var. paniculatum native to California?
No. Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum bloom?
Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum blooms Jun-Jul.
What plant family does Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum belong to?
Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum grow in?
Allium paniculatum var. paniculatum grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.