Allium sanbornii
Sanborn's onion
(c) Kyle Elshoff, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Allium sanbornii (Sanborn's onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by single leaf equal to stem, large flower clusters.
Sanborn's onion is a California native perennial found in rocky or open areas at elevations of 600 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces white to deep pink flowers in clusters with 18 to 150 blooms, each flower 4 to 9 millimeters long with erect, ovate perianth parts. Growing 18 to 60 centimeters tall with a single cylindrical leaf equal to the stem height, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb with red-brown outer scales. Its distinctive bulb features light brown or white inner coats and produces flowers with prominent stamens that extend beyond the petals. The plant has six obvious ovary crests that are either entire or slightly notched at the tips.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; key features are single leaf equal to stem, large flower clusters
Habitat and range
California counties: Nevada, Tulare, Yuba, Ventura, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Butte, Yolo, Placer
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 sanbornii native to California?
Yes. Allium sanbornii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Allium sanbornii grow?
Allium sanbornii occurs in Nevada, Tulare, Yuba, Ventura, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Butte, Yolo and other counties.
What plant family does Allium sanbornii belong to?
Allium sanbornii 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.