Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare
Mexicali onion
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Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare (Mexicali onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by straight leaves, longer pedicels, red-purple flowers.
Mexicali onion is a California native perennial found in the southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Tehachapi, Sacramento Valley, and southwestern California in dry slopes and flats at elevations below 1,100 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces delicate white flowers with a distinctive 3-lobed stigma, approximately 10 to 15 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems reaching up to 30 to 45 centimeters tall, it emerges from underground bulbs with straight, grass-like leaves. Its linear leaves are smooth and upright, emerging directly from the base of the plant. The inflorescence develops pedicels 10 to 40 millimeters long, creating a delicate cluster of white blossoms characteristic of the onion genus.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 30 sympatric species; key features are straight leaves, longer pedicels, red-purple flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry slopes, flats
Elevation: < 1100 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Riverside, El Dorado, Mariposa, Los Angeles, Butte, Santa Barbara, Kern, San Benito, Ventura, Tuolumne, Nevada, Sacramento, San Bernardino, Stanislaus, Tulare, Siskiyou, Orange, Monterey, Calaveras, Fresno, Merced, Placer, Shasta, Sonoma, Yuba, Tehama, Plumas, Contra Costa
Outside California: southern Oregon, northern Baja California
Bloom period
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare blooms Apr-May.
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 var. peninsulare native to California?
Yes. Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare bloom?
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare blooms Apr-May.
Where in California does Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare grow?
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Riverside, El Dorado, Mariposa, Los Angeles, Butte, Santa Barbara and other counties, at elevations of < 1100 m.
What plant family does Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare belong to?
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare grow in?
Allium peninsulare var. peninsulare grows in Common. Dry slopes, flats.
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.