Allium cepa

Allium cepa, commonly known as the onion, is a member of the Alliaceae family and originates from Turkmenistan. This annual plant thrives in full sun with moist, light (sandy) to medium soil, making it adaptable to various garden conditions across hardiness zones 3-9. Onions are both edible and ornamental, valued for their culinary uses as well as their attractive appearance in the garden. One distinctive feature of this plant is its height of about 0.6 meters and width of 0.3 meters; another notable characteristic is that all parts—flowers, leaves, root, and seed—are edible. Onions can be propagated through direct sowing or transplanting seeds, with outdoor planting recommended in spring or fall at a spacing of 2-6 inches. The plant's traditional use includes after-meal comfort traditions, often as a tea, though PlantSage presents this as ethnobotanical context and not medical advice. Onions are widely cultivated across the globe, from Algeria to Uzbekistan, with their edible uses ranging from raw consumption in salads or cooked preparations like stews and soups. The leaves can be used fresh or dried for flavoring, while flowers and seeds are occasionally incorporated into culinary dishes. Onions' versatility makes them a staple in many cuisines around the world.