SafePlants

Allium cernuum: Nodding Onion

Allium cernuum, commonly known as nodding onion or lady's leek, is a captivating perennial plant belonging to the genus Allium. It is also referred to as nodding wild onion, sweet onion, or barbecuing onion.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Allium cernuum
• Common Names: Nodding onion, lady's leek, nodding wild onion, sweet onion, barbecuing onion, Allegheny Onion.
• Family: Amaryllidaceae (formerly Liliaceae - Lily family)
• Genus: Allium
• Taxonomic Rank: Subspecies (var. cernuum is mentioned)
• Synonyms: None explicitly mentioned, but "lady's leek" and "nodding wild onion" are listed as synonyms for the scientific name.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions that the plant smells strongly of onion, which may attract or deter certain animals.
• It also notes that the plant grows from bulbs, which pets might dig up.

Considerations for Children

• The text notes the plant is edible, though with potential warnings that some have read about its poisonousness.

Distribution and Habitat

Nodding onion is widely distributed across North America, occurring in nearly every state in the Union and adjacent Canada. It thrives in diverse conditions, including dry woods, rock outcroppings, prairies, rocky soils, glades, bluff edges, open woods, dry meadows, gravel, and rocky or wooded slopes. Specific locations include Missouri, southwest of Cleveland, Ohio, and northeast Iowa.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Perennial growing from an oval or tapered bulb.
• Reaches a height of 10-50 cm (approximately 1 to 2 feet).
• Basal leaves are erect, ascending, and grass-like, remaining green during flowering.
• Each flower has a long stem, forming chandelier-like heads.
• Flowers are pastel lilac-pink, white, pink, purple, or rose, star-like, and tend to bend downward ("nod").
• Blooms from June to August or early fall.
• The plant emits an onion-like odor when bruised.

Ecological Role

Nodding onion is a native plant suitable for woodlands, prairies, shortgrass prairies, and gardens. It is adaptable and can grow in various situations, from full sun to deep shade. It is also mentioned that some considered native wildflowers, including Nodding Onion, as weeds because they interfered with good pasture growth.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Attracts butterflies with its blossoms.

Quirky Facts

• The "nodding" characteristic of the flower umbels, where they bend downward, gives the plant its common name.
• The bulbs were widely eaten by native peoples and European settlers, either raw, cooked, or dried for winter.

Further Information

• Nodding Onion Gardens: A family-run native wildflower business in Columbia Station, Ohio.
• Toadshade Wildflower Farm: A mail-order nursery in Frenchtown, NJ, specializing in native perennials.
• Nature Center at Shaker Lakes: Site of an annual plant sale featuring Allium cernuum.