Allium tolmiei var. tolmiei

Tolm's onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Tolm's onion is a California native perennial found in the Modoc Plateau in rocky clay flats at elevations of 1,500 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers in clusters of 10 to 40 blossoms, each flower 6 to 10 millimeters long with lanceolate perianth parts. Growing with slender stems 5 to 15 centimeters tall that are flat and winged, it emerges from a small ovoid bulb 1 to 2 centimeters in size. Its distinctive leaves are just two in number, sickle-shaped and flat, measuring less than twice the stem's length. The plant's compact structure and unique leaf arrangement make it a subtle but intriguing member of California's native onion family.

Habitat: Uncommon. Rocky clay flats

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 1500-2200 m

Bioregions: MP

California counties: Modoc, Lassen, Trinity

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.