Allium canadense Linnaeus. Common name: Wild Onion. Phenology: Mid Apr-Jun; late May-Jul. Habitat: Bottomland forests, pastures, roadsides; though native, often appearing weedy. Distribution: NB west to ND, south to c. peninsular FL and TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = F, G, Mi, Pa, S, Tat, W; = Allium canadense L. var. canadense — Ar, C, Can, ETx1, FNA26, Il, K4, Mo1, NcTx, NE, NY, RAB, Tx, Va, WH3; < Allium canadense L. — Ok; > Allium canadense L. — S13; > Allium continuum Small — S13; Allium canadense L. Basionym: Allium canadense L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Allium canadense var. canadense - FNA26
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Allium canadense, Nettle Glade, Ketona Dolomite, Kathy Stiles Freeland Bibb County Glades Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Bibb County, Alabama 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of bottomland forests, pastures and roadsides.
Stems: Stem a smooth flowering scape from a bulb with fibrous covering.
Leaves: Leaves basal, ascending, grasslike, flattened and solid, 8-15 in. long.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in a rounded, compact umbel that begins with a sack-like, membranous covering, a dried remnant of which persists at the umbel base. Flowers consist of a mix of light green to reddish, oval bulbils along with several white to pinkish-lavender, long-stalked flowers; each flower up to ½ in. wide and composed of 6 tepals, 6 stamens, and a light green ovary.
Fruits:
Comments: The variety Allium canadense var. mobilense differs from the typical variety (Allium canadense var. canadense) in that the inflorescence consists of all flowers (no bulbils); it is found mostly farther to the south and in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
Height: 8-24 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of bottomland forests, pastures and roadsides.
stems: Stem a smooth flowering scape from a bulb with fibrous covering.
leaves: Leaves basal, ascending, grasslike, flattened and solid, 8-15 in. long.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in a rounded, compact umbel that begins with a sack-like, membranous covering, a dried remnant of which persists at the umbel base. Flowers consist of a mix of light green to reddish, oval bulbils along with several white to pinkish-lavender, long-stalked flowers; each flower up to ½ in. wide and composed of 6 tepals, 6 stamens, and a light green ovary.
fruits:
comments: The variety Allium canadense var. mobilense differs from the typical variety (Allium canadense var. canadense) in that the inflorescence consists of all flowers (no bulbils); it is found mostly farther to the south and in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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