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Early Onion

Allium praecox · amaryllis, onions, and allies

Early Onion (Allium praecox)
(c) Nathan J Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nathan J Taylor · CC BY-NC · via iNaturalist

Early Onion (Allium praecox) is in the amaryllis, onions, and allies family (Amaryllidaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,179 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in March.

Nationally it blooms mainly from February to April, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.

When to photograph Early Onion: observations by month (U.S.)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About Early Onion

Allium praecox is a species of wild onion known by the common name early onion.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Early Onion by state

StateObservationsPeak monthMain season
California1,179MarchFeb–Apr

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related wildflowers (amaryllis, onions, and allies)

Photography tips

  • Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
  • Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
  • Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
  • Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Early Onion?
Nationally, March has the most observations, with the main season from February to April.
Where is Early Onion most often seen?
The most observations come from California.