Vern.: ‘Piaz’.

Bulbs clustered, cylindrical to ovoid or almost rounded; coats papery, white to brownish or reddish. Scape up to 1 m tall, stout, fistular, usually inflated below the middle. Leaves cylindrical, fistular. Umbels spherical, densely flowered. Flowers stellate. Pedicels 3-4 times as long as the tepals. Tepals greenish-white, 4-5 mm long, oblong, obtuse. Filaments exserted, inner 2-toothed at the base.

Fl.Per.: Summer months.

Type: Probably described from Iran.

Onion is commonly cultivated everywhere. There is a smaller onion-like plant with few flowered umbels which is cultivated in some places. The flower structure is similar to that of Allium cepa. This may represent a variety of Allium cepa.

Allium ascalonicum Linn., the shallot, is also cultivated rarely.