Allium siskiyouense
Siskiyou onion, Siskiyou onion, Siskiyou onion
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Allium siskiyouense (Siskiyou onion) is a native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by very short stem, pink inner bulb coats, sickle leaves.
Siskiyou onion is a California native perennial ranked 4.3 by CNPS, found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges on rocky serpentine slopes at elevations of 900 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate pink flowers with darker midveins, arranged in clusters of 10 to 35 blooms. Growing with short stems 3 to 8 centimeters tall, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb with distinctive pink to red inner coats. Its two sickle-shaped leaves are approximately twice the length of the stem, emerging flat and curving gracefully. The plant's minute three-lobed ovary crests and delicate pink perianth parts create an elegant, understated appearance characteristic of its rocky mountain habitat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; key features are very short stem, pink inner bulb coats, sickle leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky slopes including serpentine
Elevation: 900-2500 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity, Lake, Tehama, Modoc, Shasta
Outside California: southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Allium siskiyouense blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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 siskiyouense native to California?
Yes. Allium siskiyouense is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Allium siskiyouense bloom?
Allium siskiyouense blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Allium siskiyouense grow?
Allium siskiyouense occurs in Siskiyou, Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Trinity, Lake, Tehama, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 900-2500 m.
What plant family does Allium siskiyouense belong to?
Allium siskiyouense is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
Is Allium siskiyouense rare or endangered?
Allium siskiyouense carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · 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.