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Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Common
Name

Scientific
Name

Plant
Family

Garden
Location

Prime
Season
Wild Onion
Allium stellatum Fraser ex Ker Gawl.
Lily (Liliaceae)
Upland
Late Summer to Early Autumn
Other names and notes
(Autumn Onion). Wild onions are perennials that have flowers in an umbel atop a naked stem that is from 1' to 1.5' high. This plant has whitish to pink flowers with protruding stamens or stamens at least as long as the 6 petal-like tepals. The flower forms on an erect umbel up to 3" across. Leaves are basal only with pointed ends and usually dry up after flowering time. Plants in the Garden are usually a foot tall and only visible along the path edges. The species names means "starry" referring to the visual star-like appearance of the open flower. The flowers mature to a 3-part capsule which opens to release the black seed. Roots consist of a bulb and finer fibrous roots. Both the leaves and the bulb are considerable edible, but much stronger of flavor than garden onions. The Chippewa word for the plant meant "prairie skunk plant" referring to the odor.
Wild Onion
Wild Onion
Flowers above and below right from mid-July to mid-August. Below left: Black seeds are released from a three-parted capsule.
Wild Onion
Wild Onion
Below: The root system of Wild Onion consists of a bulb and then a group of fibrous roots.
Wild Onion Root
 
 

Notes: This plant is native to Minnesota, mostly the western half of the state, plus eastward in the central region to the Wisconsin border including Hennepin, Dakota and Washington Counties. In some states it is considered a noxious weed. It is not indigenous to the Garden but was introduced later. It did not appear on Martha Crones's 1951 census.

Medicinal Lore: Onions have a long history in folk medicinal use. In Minnesota, Frances Densmore (Ref. #5) in her study of the Minnesota Chippewa, reported the root was used to make a decoction that, after some sweetening, was given to children to drink to treat a cold.

  
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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.  
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