Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii
Sanborn's onion, Sanborn's onion, Sanborn's onion
Photo: parent species Allium sanbornii · (c) Kyle Elshoff, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii (Sanborn's onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by serpentine habitat, inrolled petal margins.
Sanborn's onion is a rare (CNPS 4.2) California native perennial found in the northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothill and Sierra Nevada Forest bioregions on serpentine outcrops at elevations of 300 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pale pink flowers with perianth parts that appear long and jaggedly acuminate due to inrolled margins. Growing with slender stems emerging from underground bulbs, it forms delicate clumps in rocky serpentine landscapes. Its leaves are narrow and linear, typical of onion species, emerging from the base of the plant. The flowers display an intriguing structural characteristic with inner perianth parts approximately 1.3 times longer than the outer parts, creating a subtle asymmetry.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; key features are serpentine habitat, inrolled petal margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine outcrops
Elevation: 300-1400 m
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
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 var. sanbornii native to California?
Yes. Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii bloom?
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii belong to?
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
Is Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii rare or endangered?
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3S4.
What habitat does Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii grow in?
Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii grows in Serpentine outcrops.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.