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Jeweled Onion

Allium serra

geophyte View on Calscape

Care

Sun

full sun

Water

moderate

Bloom

Mar-May

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Fragrant

Yes

Edible

Bulbs eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food, onion-flavored

Native Range

Sierra Nevada foothills and interior valleys of central California from Placer County to Kern County, 1000-4000 ft elevation.

Care Guide

Planting

Plant jeweled onion in full sun with well-draining soil that mimics its native habitat - it thrives in hard, rocky, or clay-heavy soils, including serpentine soil. Plant bulbs in fall (their natural season) so they can establish before spring blooming (March–May). Space bulbs about one centimeter apart, as they're quite small. This is a low-maintenance native that doesn't need babying once sited correctly.

After Planting

Water moderately during the growing season and first year, then back off as the plant establishes - jeweled onion is adapted to dry California conditions and doesn't need consistent summer water. The plant is deer resistant and supports pollinators and butterfly larvae, so let it bloom and set seed if you can. Expect the flowers to transition from iridescent bright pink to papery dried heads; this is normal and actually attractive, so resist the urge to deadhead immediately.

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