Onion

Onions

Onion is the most widely used vegetable in the world and is found in a large range of food recipes in many different cultures.

Highest production is in China and India.

In 2010 the estimated world production of dry onions was 74,250,809 Metric Tons (source FAOSTAT), which corresponds to about 11 kg per person (in 2010 the world had about 6.9 billion persons).

Names

Scientific
   Allium cepa var. cepa
English
   Bulb onion
   Common onion
   Garden onion
   Onion
Dutch
   Ajuin
   Juin
   Tuinui
   Ui
Spanish
   Cebolla
French
   Oignon
German
   Zwiebel
Italian
   Cipolla

Taxonomy

Genus
   Allium
Family
   Alliaceae
Order
   Asparagales

Basic information and facts

Origin:

Probably Central Asia

Distribution:

Onion are grown in many places with different climates. Top producers include China, India, USA, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Brazil, Russia and Korea.

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Onion is often a biennial, but can also be triennial or perennial.

Flowers:

Leaves:

Climate and weather:

Onions are found in different climates but prefer cool weather.

Height:

Type of soil:

Grows in many types of soil but likes highly fertile sandy loam or clay soil which is rich in humus.

Moisture:

Light:

Growth rate:

Spacing (close range)

Spacing (wide range)

Propagation:

Usually grown from seed.

Insect pests:

Diseases:

Nematodes:

Harvesting:

Uses:

Onions are used in many recipes, either cooked (e.g. soups, stews) or raw (e.g. vegetable salads). Onion skins have been used for dye

Proverbs and Quotes

I speak of garlic, you reply about onions. (Latin proverb)
He fasted for a whole year and then broke his fast with an onion. (Arabic proverb)
A dealer in onions is a good judge of scallions. (French proverb)
A cat has nine lives, as the onion seven skins. (German proverb)
An onion can make people cry but there’s never been a vegetable that can make people laugh. (Will Rogers)
This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions … will soon become me. Such a tasty fact! (Mike Garofalo)
Shallots are for babies; Onions are for men; garlic is for heroes. (Unknown source)
Do not eat garlic or onions; for their smell will reveal that you are a peasant. (Cervantes, in: Don Quixote)
The garlic said to the onion: ‘you stink.’
Different men have different opinions; some prefer apples, some onions.

Did you know that?

Eating fresh parsley can get rid of “onion breath.”

Recipes

No recipe yet

Crop categories

Vegetables
Bulb vegetables
Food crops

Pictures