kids encyclopedia robot

Autumn onion facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Autumn onion
Allium stellatum TN.jpg
Scientific classification
Genus:
Allium
Species:
stellatum
Synonyms
  • Stelmesus stellatus (Nutt. ex Ker Gawl.) Raf.
  • Hexonychia stellatum (Nutt. ex Ker Gawl.) Salisb.

Allium stellatum, the autumn onion or prairie onion, is a North American species of wild onion native to central Canada and the central United States. It ranges from Ontario and Saskatchewan south to Tennessee and Texas.

Allium stellatum grows in rocky, sandy soil. It is a perennial forming a bulb. The scape is up to 1–2 feet (30–60 cm) tall with tufts of leaves, which are thick, hard, and rounded on the back. The leaves die back as the umbel of pink to purple flowers forms in early August. The bulbs are strongly flavored but edible.

The species name stellatum is botanical Latin for "starry", and refers to the umbels. This species was described for science by John Bellenden Ker Gawler in 1813.

Allium stellatum illustration
1913 illustration.
kids search engine
Autumn onion Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.