Allium peninsulare
Mexicali onion
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Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium peninsulare (Mexicali onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by red-purple flowers and herringbone bulb coat pattern.
Mexicali onion is a California native perennial found in the southwestern California Coast Ranges and Peninsular Ranges in rocky or sandy habitats. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces striking red-purple flowers in clusters of 5 to 35 blooms with lanceolate petals whose tips slightly spread. Growing with slender stems 12 to 45 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb 8 to 15 millimeters wide. Its two to three leaves are narrow and channeled, measuring about three-quarters the height of the stem. The plant has distinctive minute three-lobed ovary crests that contribute to its unique botanical character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; key features are red-purple flowers and herringbone bulb coat pattern
Habitat and range
California counties: Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Tuolumne, Santa Barbara, Tulare, San Mateo, Colusa, Tehama, Butte, Merced, Humboldt, Shasta, El Dorado, Fresno, Mariposa, Marin, San Benito, Calaveras, Lake, Nevada, Yuba, Monterey
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 peninsulare native to California?
Yes. Allium peninsulare is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Allium peninsulare grow?
Allium peninsulare occurs in Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Tuolumne and other counties.
What plant family does Allium peninsulare belong to?
Allium peninsulare is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
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.