Single bulbs at the base of each stem from the familiar culinary onion.
History and traditions
Records of the use of onions can be traced back to the ancient civilization of Babylonia as well as to Egypt, Greece and Rome. One variety of onion was accorded divine honours in Egypt. One old recipe book gives water distilled from onions as a treatment for the bites of a rabid dog. Origins unknown but probably originated in Central Asia, now grown worldwide.
Culinary
Popular vegetable and flavoring agent.
Related species
There are numerous cultivars. Allium cepa Proliferum Group is the attractive tree onion, which is also known as the Egyptian onion, whose flowers produce large bulbils with leaves attached.
Growth
Propagate from sets in early summer or seed sown in spring or autumn. Plant in well-drained soil, rich in nutrients. Bend over tops in late summer to speed ripening and dry bulbs before storing.
