Allium yosemitense

Yosemite onion, Yosemite onion, Yosemite onion

Family: Alliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Yosemite onion is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada mountains in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties on open, rocky slopes at elevations of 800 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces white to pink flowers in clusters of 10 to 50 blossoms, each 7 to 15 millimeters long with linear-oblong perianth parts. Growing with slender stems 6 to 23 centimeters tall, it emerges from small ovoid bulbs clustered in groups of 2 to 12. Its distinctive leaves are typically two in number, widely channeled or nearly flat, and can grow up to three times the length of the stem. The plant forms compact clusters with delicate white to pale pink flowers arranged in loose, graceful inflorescences.

Habitat: Open, rocky slopes

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 800-2200 m

Bioregions: c SN (Tuolumne, Mariposa cos.).

California counties: Mariposa, El Dorado, Tuolumne

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