Allium elmendorfii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allium elmendorfii
Conservation status
Imperiled (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Subfamily:	Allioideae
Genus:	Allium
Species:	A. elmendorfii
Binomial name
Allium elmendorfii M. E. Jones ex Ownbey
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

Allium elmendorfii is a special kind of wild onion. It grows only in the state of Texas in the United States. You can find it in a few specific counties: Bexar, Frio, Wilson, and Atascosa Counties.

This wild onion likes to grow in sandy soil that drains water well. It often lives in open grassy areas within woodlands, especially where there are post oak trees. The plant grows in sands that formed a very long time ago.

Allium elmendorfii is a plant that comes back every year. It grows from a bulb, which is like the underground part of a regular onion. Around its roots, it has small mini-bulbs called bulbils. Unlike the onions we eat, its bulbs don't have dry, papery outer layers.

The plant produces a cluster of 10 to 30 flowers, shaped like an umbrella. Each flower has six petals, called tepals, that are white or light pink. These flowers are about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. They usually bloom in the spring, from March to May.

Where This Wild Onion Grows

This unique wild onion is found only in Texas. It grows in several counties across the state. Some counties where it used to grow might not have it anymore.

Here are some of the counties where Allium elmendorfii has been found:

• Atascosa County
• Bexar County
• Frio County
• Jim Wells County
• Live Oak County
• Nueces County
• Refugio County
• San Patricio County
• Wilson County

How People Use It

Allium elmendorfii is related to the common onion that you might eat, Allium cepa. Because it's a type of onion, it has a similar smell. Like many plants in the onion family, this wild onion can also be eaten.