Description
The “Sierra Onion” has two grey-green leaves either side of a 10-20 cm stem which carries a loose ball of anything up to 50, deep pink (rarely white) flowers with a dark basal marking. Each bloom is presented on a short flower stem. The individual flowers are a good size, 1-1.5cm across and have tiny, purple anthers set in a deep violet-purple throat which is itself surrounded by a pale, almost white, ring. The face of the flowers is almost flat. Flowering is in early spring.
Very attractive and not difficult. It likes a dry summer rest but as a mountain species it is still tolerant of some summer water.
Spread in the wild across the western United States from southeastern Washington and northern Oregon to southern California and it even reaches Nevada.
