Allium vineale
Vineyard onion
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Family: Alliaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Allium vineale (Vineyard onion) is a non-native California herb in the Alliaceae family, recognized by distinctive tall stature, cylindrical leaves, flowers replaced by bulblets.
Vineyard onion is a naturalized perennial found in southern northwestern California, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley, northern coastal California, and southern coastal California in disturbed places at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces green-white to purple flowers in small clusters, with many sterile flowers often replaced by stalked bulblets. Growing with tall stems 30 to 100 centimeters high, it develops an ovoid bulb 1 to 2 centimeters wide that produces several hard-shelled bulblets. Its leaves are 2 to 4 in number, much shorter than the stem, measuring 20 to 60 centimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters in diameter. The bulb develops an interesting outer coat that turns brown to yellow, splitting into strips with vertically elongated cells in narrow, wavy rows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 46 sympatric species; distinctive tall stature, cylindrical leaves, flowers replaced by bulblets
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed places
Elevation: < 100 m
Outside California: native to Europe
Bloom period
Allium vineale blooms Jun-Aug.
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 vineale native to California?
No. Allium vineale is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Allium vineale bloom?
Allium vineale blooms Jun-Aug.
What plant family does Allium vineale belong to?
Allium vineale is in the Alliaceae family, genus Allium.
What habitat does Allium vineale grow in?
Allium vineale grows in Uncommon. Disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Allium yosemitense — Yosemite onion
- Allium abramsii — Abrams' allium
- Allium acuminatum — Taper tipped onion
- Allium amplectens — Narrow leaved onion
- Allium anceps — Twin leaved onion
- Allium atrorubens — Dark red onion
- Ipheion sp. — Star flower
- Ipheion uniflorum — Spring star flower
- Nothoscordum gracile — Slender false garlic
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.