Allium bisceptrum, also known as the twincrest onion or simply wild onion, is a high elevation plant native to California. It is a perennial that thrives under damp and shady conditions or open meadows in the Pacific region in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah. Allium bisceptrum is used sometimes as food flavoring as their leaves may be very strong and odorous. Natives pray before picking the leaves of this plant. Many animals in the region, including elk, black bears and prairie dogs eat the bulbs of the wild onions.

Description

The twincrest onion is a perennial at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 2900 meters. They grow up to anywhere between ten to forty cm high. The onion bulbs are round and egg-shaped. The bulbs have a light tint and when cut, has a powerful odor. Their flower heads are about 10–15 mm in length. The flowers are a lightly tinted purple. Each flower head contains usually six petals with pointed tips. Their flat leaves usually come in pairs of two or three and give off an odor when scratched.

Habitat and ecology

Allium bisceptrum is a perennial herb native to California and is confined to Western America. It is found in the Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, and wetland-riparian in California. The twincrest onion thrives near streambanks and meadows. It is also likely to occur in wetlands.

Distribution

In California, A. bisceptrum is distributed throughout the counties of Alpine

Alpine County, California

Alpine County is the smallest county, by population, in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010, it had a population of 1,175, all rural. There are no incorporated cities in the county. The county seat is Markleeville...

, El Dorado

El Dorado County, California

El Dorado County is a county located in the historic Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills of the U.S. state of California. The 2010 population was 181,058. The El Dorado county seat is in Placerville....

, Glenn

Glenn County, California

Glenn County is in the California Central Valley. As of 2010, it had a population of 28,122. The county seat is the city of Willows.-History:Glenn County was formed in 1891 from parts of Colusa County. It was named for Dr. Hugh J...

, Inyo

Inyo County, California

-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...

, Lassen

Lassen County, California

Lassen County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,895, up from 33,828 at the 2000 census...

, Mendocino

Mendocino County, California

Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...

, Mono

Mono County, California

Mono County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California, to the east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,202, up from 12,853 at the 2000 census...

, Modoc

Modoc County, California

Modoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,686, up from 9,449 at the 2000 census. The current county seat is Alturas, the...

, Mariposa

Mariposa County, California

Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...

, Nevada

Nevada County, California

Nevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....

, Plumas

Plumas County, California

Plumas County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The county gets its name from the Spanish words for the Feather River , which flows through the county. As of the 2010 census, the population 20,007, down from 20,824 at the 2000 census...

, San Bernardino

San Bernardino County, California

San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...

, San Diego

San Diego County, California

San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...

, Shasta

Shasta County, California

Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...

, Sierra

Sierra County, California

Sierra County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. As of the 2010 census the population was 3,240, down from 3,555 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Downieville....

, Trinity

Trinity County, California

Trinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...

, Tulare

Tulare County, California

Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...

, and Tuolumne

Tuolumne County, California

Tuolumne County is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The northern half of Yosemite National Park is located in the eastern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,365, up from 54,501 at the 2000 census...

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Cultivation and Care

Twincrest onions grow at high elevations and thrive in the cold. Their seeds can be planted outdoors in the early fall. They do not need to be warmed throughout the winter. In fact, in warmer winters, the plants may need to be kept at lower temperatures to insure growth and germination. Soil must not be drowned with water. It must be kept relatively drained. Their seeds should be planted in a nice and dense model with around four to five seeds per square foot of soil. Watering early on is not necessary unless extremely dry. Rain water should be enough to keep the plant alive until germination in the spring. When spring time arrives, two inches of water a week should be administered. If watered correctly, wild onions will begin to grow. They can grow in the sunlight, but they prefer the shade. It is necessary to keep the soil nice and moist, but not too wet because these growing onion bulbs do not have enough reserves to keep the plant alive. Watering should be discontinued as soon as yellow foliage begins to appear. At this point, the plant should be ready to mature and flower on its own. At least three to five years should be expected for this plant to reach a flowering size.

The bulbs and bulblets of the twincrest onion may be planted as well. Maturity and flowering may come quicker planting by bulbs than planting by seeds. To do so, bulbs must be picked from the mature Wild Onion plant. These bulbs must then be stored in a dry environment (paper bags with dry peat moss is ideal). Late fall, when the first frost comes, is the best time to plant these bulbs. These bulbs should be planted in an acidic potting soil with sand and humus for good drainage. Daughter bulblets may be planted next to mature bulbs to keep the dense pattern. Maintenance must be in order to make sure these bulbs do not receive too much water. These bulbs will germinate on their own in the spring time. When germination begins in the spring, water must be administered at least once a week. If it is a dry and rainless week, water should be administered twice that week. Adding a liquid fertilizer may increase growth and vigor. When flowering occurs, watering may be ceased.

While harvesting, the Washoe keep some of the plants in tact so the plant will continue to seed. They also do not uproot the bulbs so plants will continue to grow year after year.

Uses

The twincrest onion is still used today by many native Americans including the Nevada Northern Paiute, Gosiute, Northern Ute, and Washoe. The Washoe use the leaves and greens of this plant as a spice and flavor their foods. They pick out the young leaves and stems of the plant after the last of the snow melts in early spring. These young leaves and stems, which are only inches from the ground are the most delectable as their flavors range from mild to strong. The Washoe sometimes pray before picking these leaves in hopes of a good harvesting year. These leaves are similar to chives bought from supermarkets. These leaves can be used in various culinary forms, whether eaten raw, or stir fried with meats and other vegetables.

Wild animals in the area such as elk, black bears, white-tailed prairie dogs, and mantled ground squirrels eat the bulbs of the wild onions. Some cattle and sheep also graze these plants.