EGYPTIAN WALKING ONION
aka Egyptian Tree Onion; Topset Onion; Walking Onion
[ Allium cepa var. proliferum ]
Family: Alliaceae | Genus: Allium (AL-ee-um) | Species: x proliferum

After finally getting the garlic and onion plot planted this weekend, I thought I would share with you the fascinating story of the little heard about “Egyptian Walking Onion”.

Egyptian Walking Onions aren’t the big, round globes you think of as onions. Egyptian Walking Onions are an Heirloom Onion and are much smaller bulbs that offer the double bonus of forming smaller bulblets on top of their stems in clusters (top-setters), kind of like a freaky flower head. The whole planting is edible, and though most people eat the mother bulb from under the ground and use the “walking clusters” for planting for the next season, I propose that you leave the Mother Bulb in the ground year after year, adding to your onion section with part of the “above ground crop”, while enjoying the remaining onion “clusters” and “green onion tops, chive style” for consumption.  Walking Onions will “stroll” all over the place and before you know it the runners will be all over and you will have more than enough onions for you, your family, your extended family, and even your friends.  They get the moniker “Walking” because if you do not harvest the mother bulb, these perennial plants will walk their way all across your garden.

I personally think that the Walking Onion has a very pungeant, wonderful onion flavor, from the onion tips to the bulblets, with much more interest than your every day underground, regular size onions.  Not to mention, their ease of growth, visual interest and walking capability, this is an excellent variety for the home gardener. Egyptian Walking Onions are also a great way to interest your children (1) into taking an active interest in planting, care, and harvesting in the family garden; and (2) into the grown-up world of seasoned foods by participating in the growing and harvesting and actual food preparation and consumption of these interesting, fun little beauties.

Category:  Herbs

Height:  18-24 in. (45-60 cm)

Spacing:  6-9 in. (15-22 cm)

Hardiness:  USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F) | USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F) | USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F) | USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F) | USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F) | USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F) | USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F) | USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) | USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) | USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) | USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F) | USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)

Sun Exposure:  Full Sun

Bloom Color:  Chartreuse (Yellow-Green) | Cream/Tan

Bloom Time:  Late Spring/Early Summer | Mid Summer | Late Summer/Early Fall

Foliage:  Grown for foliage | Herbaceous | Aromatic | Rubbery-Textured

Details:  Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season

Soil pH requirements:  6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) to 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

Propagation Methods:  By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)

Seed Collecting:  Seed does not store well; sow as soon as possible

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The Official Web Site of the Egyptian Walking Onion
http://www.egyptianwalkingonion.com/

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