Quick Characteristics:
| Flower Colors: | purple, white |
| Life form: | bulb |
Allium bolanderi S.Watson (syn. Allium stenanthum Drew) is a small onion growing in decayed granitic soil under native oak trees in California and Oregon. Height: about 20 cm. The bulbs are smooth, elongated, and less than 1/2" in length. Bulbs are connected to the plants by delicate white rhizomes. It requires a very dry summer with absolutely no water. Photos are taken by Nhu Nguyen. The 1st photo shows a darker form of the species. The 2nd photo shows an in situ shot in Yolo County, CA, where it was growing among poison oak.
The photos below were taken by Nhu Nguyen. The third and fourth photos are closeups of the flowers and inflorescence. They also show the powdery quality of the underside of the tepals. Photos 4-5 show the bulbs dividing from two to four bulbs. The last photo shows the bulb lying in the ground horizontally. The remnants of the rhizome can be seen on top of the bulb.
Allium bolanderi var. mirabile (L.F.Hend.) McNeal (syn. Allium mirabile L.F.Hend., Allium roguense M.Peck) is a small white flowered variety native to Southern Oregon and Northern California. It bloomed in June in Rogue River, Oregon. Photos by Travis Owen.
