Allium geyeri aka Geyer's Onion

Allium geyeri, or Geyer’s onion, is in the amaryllis family. It grows from a bulb and has an upright form. Its native range spans central Canada and the western and central United States. In Canada, records place it in southern British Columbia. They also place it in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In the Rocky Mountains, it grows in low meadows and beside streams. It grows in regions with a temperate climate.

Plants reach about 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) in height. The small bulbs grow up to 0.08 feet (0.025 metres) long. Their width can reach about 0.07 feet (0.02 metres). The leaves are tough and fibrous when used as food. The lavender flowers add value to beds and borders. Each flower has both male and female parts. Bees and other insects pollinate them. The flowers also draw butterflies. Sources give different bloom dates. Plants For A Future lists April to May. Chicago Botanic Garden lists May through October as bloom periods.

Give this onion sun and soil that drains well. Chicago Botanic Garden says it can also grow in partial shade. It grows in sand and loam with moisture during growth. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. Plant the bulbs fairly deep. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA zones 6–9. Plants For A Future warns against cold, wet sites in northwestern Britain. It suggests a bulb frame for much of that country. These limits matter despite the plant’s ability to cope with frost.

You can eat the bulbs raw or cooked. Their strong onion taste suits soups and other dishes that need seasoning. Their small size makes them less useful as a staple. The Navajo have eaten the bulbs. You can also eat the leaves raw or cooked. Their texture is coarse, though. Use raw flowers to garnish salads. The source reports no cases of poisoning from this species. Its safety warning concerns other onions and related plants instead. Large amounts of those plants can cause harm. The warning singles out dogs as being at risk.

Sow seed in spring under glass. Or sow fresh seed in a cold frame. Keep young plants under glass for their first winter. Divide plants in summer as their growth dies back. Reports list plant juice as a way to repel moths. They also say the whole plant deters insects and moles. These reports describe nonfood uses, not proven pest control.