Goodding's onion facts for kids
Goodding's onion (scientific name: Allium gooddingii) is a type of wild onion. You can find it growing naturally in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States.
Quick facts for kids Goodding's onion |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Allium
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| Species: |
gooddingii
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Contents
What is Goodding's Onion?
Goodding's onion is a special plant that belongs to the onion family. It is known for its unique way of growing and its pretty pink flowers. This wild onion is an important part of the natural environment in the southwestern United States.
How Does It Grow?
This onion grows from a thick underground stem called a rhizome. This rhizome looks a bit like the root of an iris flower. Each rhizome can have one to three bulbs attached to it.
The plant usually has three to six flat leaves. These leaves can grow up to 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) long. A tall, straight stem, called a scape, grows upwards from the plant. This stem can reach about 45 centimeters (about 18 inches) tall. It is flat and has small wings near the top.
Its Flowers
At the top of the stem, you will find the inflorescence. This is a cluster of flowers shaped like an umbel, which looks like an umbrella. There are usually 18 to 23 bell-shaped flowers in each cluster. Each flower is pink and about one centimeter long. Goodding's onion blooms from June all the way through September. Just like other onions, this plant has a strong onion smell!
Where Does Goodding's Onion Live?
Goodding's onion is one of about 12 different types of wild onions found in Arizona. It grows in several mountain ranges there. These include the White Mountains, the Santa Catalina Mountains, and the Chuska Mountains.
In New Mexico, you can find it in the Mogollon Mountains and the Sierra Blanca mountains.
Its Mountain Home
This plant likes to grow in certain types of plant communities. At higher elevations, it lives among Abies lasiocarpa trees and Vaccinium myrtillus plants. In lower areas, it grows with Abies concolor, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Poa pratensis grasses. Sometimes, Goodding's onion is the most common plant growing on the forest floor in these areas.
Animals and Goodding's Onion
Wild and farm animals, like deer and cattle, enjoy eating Goodding's onion. They often munch on the parts of the plant that grow above the ground.
How Animals Affect Its Life Cycle
Sometimes, animals eat so much of the plant that it cannot produce seeds. This means the plant cannot complete its sexual reproduction cycle. Because of this, people once thought that Goodding's onion was rare and disappearing. However, scientists have now found many large and healthy groups of these plants. This means the species is considered secure and not in danger.
