Egyptian Onion china Allium x proliferum

LATIN NAME: Allium × proliferum

COMMON NAME: Tree Onion

The tree onion hoists the tiny bulbs at the top of the hollow stems, the small, clustered bulbs nodding over the green tubes, and the whole clump carries the fine, curious look of the old kitchen garden. The hardy, perennial herb carries the hollow, cylindrical, green leaves and the small, clustered, aerial bulbs at the tops of the hollow stalks, with the few small, greenish-white flowers among them, through the summer, one of the curious, quiet sights of the old kitchen garden, drawing the bees, to be followed by the small, black, angled seeds in the few open umbels. The aerial bulbs have a very long record as the fine, old onions of the cottage gardens, and the plant is a historic presence of the old kitchen garden. It is a plant of the open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The tree onion is a historic subject of the plant science, and the aerial bulbs keep showing up in the work on the perennial onions. The way the small, clustered, aerial bulbs form at the tops of the hollow stalks has been studied at length, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the perennial onions, the hollow leaves and the members of the onion family. The aerial bulbs and the curious habit have also made it a fine study herb, and the tree onion is a regular subject of the work on the aerial bulbs of the temperate world.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The tree onion is a curious, useful plant of the old kitchen garden and the study collection. The hollow, cylindrical, green leaves and the small, clustered, aerial bulbs at the tops of the hollow stalks carry the curious look of the old kitchen garden, one of the curious, quiet sights of the old kitchen garden, drawing the bees, and the aerial bulbs have a very long record as the fine, old onions of the cottage gardens, the small, crisp bulbs coming to the pickles, the stews and the steady practice of the old kitchens, while the few small, greenish-white flowers among the aerial bulbs open through the summer, to be followed by the small, black, angled seeds in the few open umbels. It is one of the fine choices for the old kitchen garden, the curious border and the study collection, and it has been written up in the horticultural and the botanical papers for the aerial bulbs and the very long history. It is a curious, useful plant of the open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained garden.

The tree onion seeds start well in a light, sandy mix kept moist. The young plants are steady once they root, and they enjoy the deep, rich ground of the open garden.

To grow the tree onion from seed, sow the small, black seeds evenly across the top of the tray of light, sandy soil, water gently, then keep the tray in a bright, open spot. The seedlings push through within a couple of weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the deep, rich, moist ground, the tiny bulbs will hoist at the stem tops over the year.

Uses: Culinary/Medicinal
This fascinating mild-flavoured onion develops bulbs at the top of its slender leaves, not at the base like ordinary onions. Excellent for pickling and for seasoning soups and stews. They keep very well in storage.