Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Allium atrorubens is a species of wild onion known by the common name dark red onion. This plant is native to the southwestern United States where it grows in the sandy soils of the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin and higher-elevation deserts in Nevada, eastern California (San Bernardino, Kern, Mono, Inyo and Lassen Counties) southwestern Utah (Kane, Millard and Beaver Counties), northwestern Arizona (Mohave and Coconino Counties). Allium atrorubens grows from a reddish-brown bulb 1-1. 5 cm (0. 4-0. 6 in) across. The stem is short and is surrounded by few coiled tubular leaves. Atop the stem is an inflorescence of up to 50 flowers. Each flower has six shiny, iridescent, sharply triangular tepals with dark midveins. The tepals are usually magenta to maroon but are lighter pink or white occasionally. Each flower is about 1 cm (0. 4 in) wide.

Plant type

Perennial herb, Geophyte

Calscape icon
Color

Pink, Red, Cream

Water

Moderate

Plant communities

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Sagebrush Scrub

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 7 likely

Confirmed Likely

Ipsilon Dart

Agrotis ipsilon

Alfalfa Looper Moth

Autographa californica