Ideas for community gardens < roots

Spring onion. Onions occupy little space in the community or home garden and are widely used in cooking.

ONION

Botanic name

• Allium sepa

Family

• Alliaceae

Growth form

• annual bulb
• colour variable with variety – white, red, brown, purple
• shape variable – spherical, oval, elongated

Edible part

• bulb - eaten raw or cooked

Cultivation

There are many varieties of onion, varying in size, shape, colour

The shallot, another Allium species, produces a cluster of smaller bulbs

Propagation

• from seed
• plant in sunny, well-drained position.

Centre of diversity

• probably Central Asia
• cultivated by ancient Egyptians at least as far back as 3400BP (before present).

PAGE UPDATED... Wednesday, 16 January 2002