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Simil Onion, Dwarf Onion - Allium simillimum


Family: Amaryllidaceae - Amaryllis family Genus Common Name: Onion Native Status: NativeMonocot Perennial Herb
Allium simillimum - Simil Onion, Dwarf Onion. Allium simillimum is not a widely distributed plant, being found only in about half of Idaho and only in a few locations in Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. While the USDA Plants Database map only shows Simil Onion in Idaho and a couple of Montana counties, information from other sources gleaned from wildflowersearch.com indicates that it is also present in Oregon and Nevada. I observed only at elevations above 5,000 feet, and while most observations of Simil Onion have been between 4,000 and 10,000 feet, there have been a few observations at both higher and lower elevations.

Similar species:
  • Allium brandegeei - Brandegee's Onion, which has a longer stem and shorter leaves
  • Allium parvum - Small Onion, which has a flatter stems and leaves
  • Allium tomiei - Many-flowered Onion has much longer, more sharply pointed tepals.

Found in:
ID, MT, NV, OR

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Check here for more information about Allium simillimum.
Allium simillimum

Distribution of Allium simillimum in the United States and Canada:
USDA Map temporarily unavailable.
Blue=Native; Grey=Introduced

Map from USDA Plants Database:
USDA, NRCS. 2017. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 16 Jan 2025). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

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Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Nikon D60
Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Dwarf Onion has 6 white tepals, sometimes tinted with pink or entirely pink. It also has 6 stamens.
Allium simillimum
Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D40
The leaves of Allium simillimum are basal, linear, and have a groove along one side. The broader, shorter leaves in the bottom half of the photo are Blue-eyed Mary. You can see one of those blossoms out of focus in the lower left quadrant.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Allium simillimum
Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
The Dwarf Onion flower clusters are held on a short stem, which is less than half the length of the leaves.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Allium simillimum
References used for identification and information:
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Allium simillimum initially published on USWildflowers.com 2010-08-31; Updated 2017-03-02

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