- Botanical name: Allium x proliferum
- Common name: Walking onion
- Family: Alliaceae
- Plant Type: Vegetable
- Key features:
- Prefers rich soil
The walking onion, Allium x proliferum, has multiple uses and should be treated as a perennial crop as it self-seeds readily – effectively ‘walking’ around your garden. In spring its narrow green leaves may be harvested and eaten as chives. As the bulbs develop they may be harvested as spring onions, or left in the ground to harvest later as shallot-sized onions.
Any plants left in the ground will grow small bulbils at the tip of the leaves. As they become heavier these will cause the plant to bend down until the bulbils touch the ground, where they develop roots and grow into separate new plants.
How to grow Allium proliferum
-
Plant size
1.2m height
10cm spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Hardy
- Soil type: Chalky / alkaline / clay / heavy / moist / well drained / light / sandy
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Sow |
J
Do not Sow in January |
F
Do not Sow in February |
M
Do Sow in March |
A
Do Sow in April |
M
Do not Sow in May |
J
Do not Sow in June |
J
Do not Sow in July |
A
Do not Sow in August |
S
Do not Sow in September |
O
Do not Sow in October |
N
Do not Sow in November |
D
Do not Sow in December |
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do not Plant in March |
A
Do not Plant in April |
M
Do not Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do Plant in September |
O
Do Plant in October |
N
Do Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Harvest | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
J
Do not Harvest in January |
F
Do not Harvest in February |
M
Do not Harvest in March |
A
Do not Harvest in April |
M
Do not Harvest in May |
J
Do Harvest in June |
J
Do Harvest in July |
A
Do not Harvest in August |
S
Do not Harvest in September |
O
Do not Harvest in October |
N
Do not Harvest in November |
D
Do not Harvest in December |
Allium proliferum and wildlife
Allium proliferum has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
Is Allium proliferum poisonous?
Allium proliferum can be toxic.
Toxic to Cats
Toxic to Dogs
Toxic to Horses
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Allium proliferum
