Allium drummondii aka Drummond's Onion

Allium drummondii is a bulb-forming perennial in the Amaryllidaceae family. Its common names include prairie onion and Drummond's onion. It comes from the central United States and northeastern Mexico. Its range includes Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Texas. In Mexico, it grows in Coahuila. Wild plants grow on dry prairies and hills. They occur in sandy or gravelly ground, often over limestone.

This small plant forms clumps of grass-like, mid-green leaves. The leaves are deciduous, rather than green all year. The RHS describes plants reaching about 1 foot (0.3 metres). Its broader garden height range reaches 1.6 feet (0.5 metres). Clumps spread up to about 0.3 feet (0.1 metres). Plants take one to two years to reach full size. Loose, rounded flower heads appear from early through late spring. Each bloom has a star shape and opens pale pink. Darker pink buds contrast with the open flowers. This gives each head a mix of pink shades.

Give this onion full sun and fertile soil with good drainage. The RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline conditions. Soil can stay moist, but it must drain well. Choose a sheltered spot facing south or west. Use containers where heavy clay stays wet through winter. The RHS rates its cold hardiness as H7. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 6–9. These ratings come from different hardiness systems.

Use it in flower beds, prairie plantings, or wildflower meadows. It also suits pots, courtyards, and informal gardens. The flowers can be cut for indoor use. Little pruning is needed beyond removing spent stems and old leaves. Sow seed in a cold frame when ripe or during spring. Lift bulbs after flowering to separate offsets with care. Watch for allium leaf miner and onion fly. Onion white rot and onion downy mildew can also affect plants.

Plants For A Future lists bulbs, leaves, and flowers as edible. Bulbs and leaves may be eaten raw or cooked. The small bulbs serve as a seasoning or vegetable. Raw flowers can garnish salads. The same source reports that plant juice can repel moths. It also reports claims that whole plants deter insects and moles. No species-specific medicinal use is documented in the supplied evidence. Nor does it document poisoning cases for this species. Its safety warning instead concerns other members of the genus.