Allium parvum
Dwarf onion
(c) Sam Eberhard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium parvum (Dwarf onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by dwarf size, sickle-shaped leaves much longer than stem.
Dwarf onion is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California high mountains, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin in stony clay slopes and talus at elevations of 1,200 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers in small clusters with 5 to 30 blooms. Growing with slender stems 3 to 12 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small oblique to ovoid bulb with a gray-brown outer coat. Its two distinctive leaves are flat, sickle-shaped, and typically 1.5 to 3 times the length of the stem. The plant's tiny ovary crests and delicate white or pink perianth parts give it a subtle and graceful appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; key features are dwarf size, sickle-shaped leaves much longer than stem
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Stony clay slopes, talus
Elevation: 1200-2800 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Plumas, Fresno, Nevada, Modoc, Alpine, Glenn, Placer, Shasta, Sierra, Lassen, Mono, Tulare, Trinity, Yolo
Outside California: to southern and eastern Oregon, Montana, Utah
Bloom period
Allium parvum blooms Apr-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 parvum native to California?
Yes. Allium parvum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium parvum bloom?
Allium parvum blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Allium parvum grow?
Allium parvum occurs in Siskiyou, Plumas, Fresno, Nevada, Modoc, Alpine, Glenn, Placer and other counties, at elevations of 1200-2800 m.
What plant family does Allium parvum belong to?
Allium parvum is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium parvum grow in?
Allium parvum grows in Common. Stony clay slopes, talus.
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.