HO-67
YARD AND GARDEN
Horticulture Department Cooperative Extension Service Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907
ONIONS AND THEIR RELATIVES
by John A. Wott, Extension home environment horticulturist
The common onion (Allium cepa) and its relatives — leeks, garlic, and chives — are thought to be natives to the Northern Hemisphere. There are over 400 species of Alliums, which are used for food as well as ornamental purposes. They were used extensively by ancient Egyptians, and it is recorded that the Israelites also longed for their onions during their wilderness wanderings.
The onion was first introduced into the West Indies by the Spanish, and from there it spread to all parts of the Americas. The onion was one of the staples of the earliest colonists, and soon they had introduced it to the Indians.
Onions may be planted from either sets, seed, or transplants. Planting will vary according to the variety, use, and availability.
Sets are usually used to provide green onions (scallions), although allowing them to mature will produce dry bulbs for storage. Growing onions from seed usually requires a long period to produce either green onions or dry bulbs, and generally this practice is not recommended for most home gardeners unless started early indoors. The Sweet Spanish and bunching types are not recomended for long-term storage. Some common types of onions are listed in the accompanying chart.
	Days to harvest	Amount for 100 ft. of row
Sets		
Ebenezer	90	2-3 pounds
Golden Globe	90	2-3 pounds
Seed		
Early Harvest	90	1/4 OZ.
Early Yellow Globe	95	1/4 OZ.
Downings Yellow Globe	110	1/4 OZ.
Southport Red Globe	110	1/4 OZ.
Stuttgarter	110	1/4 OZ.
Sweet Spanish	115	1/4 OZ.
Seedlings		
Early Harvest	90	400 plants
Sweet Spanish	115	400 plants
Chiefton	110	400 plants
Bunching		
Beltsville Bunching	30	400 plants
Evergreen	60	400 plants
White Portugal	40	400 plants
Today Allium cepa is only known in cultivation. It has been divided into three principal groups. The Cepa Group includes onions with single bulbs and no bulbils in the inflorescence. They are usually produced by seed. Most of the common garden cultivars are members of this group.
The Aggregatum Group includes such types as the Potato onion, Multiplier onion, Ever-ready onion, and Shallot. They lack bulbils in the inflorescence, are often sterile, and are usually propagated by lateral bulbs or shoots of the underground bulb.
The Proliferum Group includes the Tree onion, Egyptian onion, Top onion, and Catawissa onion. These types are propagated by the large bulbils produced in the inflorescence.