Nevada onion facts for kids
The Nevada onion (scientific name: Allium nevadense) is a type of wild onion that grows in the western United States. It's known for living in sandy and rocky places, often high up in the mountains. This plant is common in states like Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, but you can also find it in parts of California, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon.
Quick facts for kids Nevada onion |
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Allium nevadense var. macropetalum M. Peck |
Contents
What is the Nevada Onion?
The Nevada onion is a special kind of plant that belongs to the onion family. Its scientific name is Allium nevadense. It was first described by a scientist named Sereno Watson.
Where Does the Nevada Onion Live?
This wild onion is native to the western parts of the United States. It loves to grow in sandy and rocky soil. You can often find it in high places, like mountains, at elevations between 1,400 and 1,700 meters (about 4,600 to 5,600 feet) above sea level.
The Nevada onion is found in many states, including:
- Utah
- Nevada
- Southern Idaho
- Southeastern California (in Inyo and San Bernardino Counties)
- Northwestern Arizona (in Mohave and Cochise Counties)
- Western and central Colorado (in Moffat, Garfield, Mesa, and Boulder Counties)
- Eastern Oregon (in Harney and Malheur Counties)
What Does the Nevada Onion Look Like?
The Nevada onion grows from a bulb that is usually brown or gray. This bulb is about one to one and a half centimeters (about half an inch) wide. Sometimes, it might have one or two smaller "baby" bulbs growing next to it.
The plant's stem can look quite short if the bulb is buried deep in the ground. At the top of the stem, you'll find a cluster of flowers called an umbel. This umbel can have up to 25 flowers!
The flowers themselves are quite pretty. Their outer parts, called tepals, can be white or have pink stripes with darker lines in the middle. Inside the flowers, you'll see purple anthers, which are parts that hold the yellow pollen.
See also
In Spanish: Allium nevadense para niños
