Allium parishii
Parish's onion, Parish's onion, Parish's onion
(c) Melanie J. Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Allium parishii (Parish's onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by large pale pink spreading flowers.
Parish's onion is a native perennial found in northern San Bernardino Mountains and Mojave Desert regions on open rocky slopes at elevations of 900 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces pale pink flowers in clusters of 6 to 25 blooms, each flower 12 to 18 millimeters long with spreading lanceolate petals. Growing with slender stems 5 to 25 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb 10 to 15 millimeters wide with brown to red-brown outer layers. Its single leaf is cylindrical and roughly one to two times the length of the stem, emerging from a distinctive pink-layered underground bulb. The plant's delicate pale pink flowers feature six ovary crests that are either entire or finely and irregularly toothed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species; distinguished by large pale pink spreading flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open rocky slopes
Elevation: 900-1400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kern
Outside California: western Arizona
Bloom period
Allium parishii blooms Apr-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 parishii native to California?
Yes. Allium parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium parishii bloom?
Allium parishii blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Allium parishii grow?
Allium parishii occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Kern, at elevations of 900-1400 m.
What plant family does Allium parishii belong to?
Allium parishii is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
Is Allium parishii rare or endangered?
Allium parishii carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.