Rising your private onions at home can introduce you to the colorful world of onion varieties. Whether or not or not you’re cooking them or having them raw, choosing the suitable choice will drastically improve your consuming experience.
Widespread Onion Kinds
Sooner than planting onions in your vegetable yard, let’s peel once more the layers of its types and customary examples. Study underneath that may assist you choose one of the best choice that matches your gardening belongings and culinary desires.
Heirloom and Hybrid Onions
Heirloom onion varieties are excellent for seed saving, as they carry the equivalent traits of the mom or father plant. With no cross-breeding for a minimum of 40 to 50 years, heirloom varieties are true to seed. These are widespread in numerous ethnic, family, or non secular groups in a certain geographic area. Examples of heirloom onion varieties embody Cipollini Yellow, Purple Burgundy, Purple Creole, Ruby Purple, Utah Yellow Sweet Spanish, Walla Walla, and White Grano. Sadly, these heirloom types are often a lot much less proof in opposition to sickness and pest points.
Widespread illnesses in onions embody bacterial light rot, Fusarium basal rot, sclerotial rot, Stemphylium leaf blight, purple blotch, and twister sickness. These crops are vulnerable to onion fly and eelworm assaults.
Intentional and handbook crossbreeding of two onion varieties gave rise to hybrid types. They’re usually bred to resist certain illnesses and pests for a bountiful yield, or improve style and texture. Supreme traits from the two varieties are put into the following onion hybrid. These enhancements make the hybrid varieties additional preferred for large scale onion farming.
Nonetheless, no eternal seed line is produced from handbook crossbreeding of hybrids.
Dry and Inexperienced Onions
Onion varieties could also be labeled into two main alternate options — the dry onions (or widespread onions) and inexperienced onions (known as spring onions).
Widespread storage and sweet onions — brown, yellow, purple, crimson, and white — with completely original bulbs fall beneath dry onions. Refrigeration simply is not important for these varieties. In its place, they’re usually saved in a cool, dry space away from daylight.
Conversely, inexperienced onions are harvested earlier with no completed bulb or partially completed bulb. The inexperienced stalks from this alternative are typically used as tasty garnish on omelets, soups, tacos, and stir-fry. It’s good to use your whole plant nonetheless until then, inexperienced onions should be refrigerated to care for their crisp and freshness.
Completely different Widespread Onion Groupings
Take a look at some widespread onion varieties grouped into their distinctive traits.
Types of Onion Pores and pores and skin Colors
U.S. supermarkets are more likely to group onions in step with their pores and pores and skin colors — crimson, white, and yellow. Dwelling present of the most common types of onion are on the market year-round inside the nation.
| Onion Pores and pores and skin Colors | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Brown- and Yellow-Skinned Onions | Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Patterson (Territorial Seed Agency, Burpee) Texas Large Sweet (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Yellow Sweet Spanish (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, Unusual Seeds) |
| Purple- and Purple-Skinned Onions | Purple Burgundy (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Purple Creole (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Purple Grano (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Ruby (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Purple Spring (Territorial Seed Agency) |
| Gentle Inexperienced- and White-Skinned Onions | Ringmaster White Sweet Spanish (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency) Movie star (Territorial Seed Agency) White Bermuda (Territorial Seed Agency) White Creole (Unusual Seeds) White Grano (Eden Brothers) |
Types of Onion Flesh Colors
Except for the widespread white flesh in onions, there are varieties with crimson flesh as a consequence of their anthocyanin content material materials.
Types of Onion Flavors
Onion’s daring flavors attraction to utterly totally different palates — some are additional refined than others. Incorporating acidic meals parts will help counteract sturdy onion style, significantly of their raw sort.
| Onion Flavors | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Sweet/Refined Onions | Ailsa Craig (Territorial Seed Agency) Almagro (Territorial Seed Agency) Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Monastrell (Territorial Seed Agency) Yellow Sweet Spanish (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, Unusual Seeds) |
| Mildly Spicy/Pungent Onions | Oneida (Territorial Seed Agency) Redwing (Territorial Seed Agency) Purple Creole (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Ruby (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Southport White Globe (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) |
Types of Onion Textures
The company texture of onions tends to captivate most meals lovers. Inclusion of onions contributes sturdy style to dishes, significantly in case you utilize the appropriate choice.
| Onion Textures | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Crisp/Crunchy Onions | Eclipse L303 (True Leaf Market) Imai Early Yellow (True Leaf Market) Purple Grano (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Ruby (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
| Juicy/Easy Onions | Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Crystal White Wax (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Texas Large Sweet (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) White Grano (Eden Brothers) Yellow Granex PRR (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
Types of Onion Daylight Desires
Widespread types of onions have utterly totally different daylight requirements or photoperiodism sooner than successfully producing a bulb. Prolonged-day onions usually need at least 14 or additional hours of daylight. Fast-day varieties require 11 to 12 hours. Intermediate or neutral varieties must have 12 to 14 hours of daylight.
| Onion Daylight Desires | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Prolonged-Day Onions | Blush Crops (Territorial Seed Agency, Burpee) Purple Bull (Territorial Seed Agency) Southport White Globe (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Talon (Territorial Seed Agency) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
| Intermediate/Neutral Onions | Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Expression (Territorial Seed Agency) Imai Early Yellow (True Leaf Market) Monastrell (Territorial Seed Agency) Purple Torpedo (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market) |
| Fast-Day Onions | Hiya-Keeper (Territorial Seed Agency) Purple Creole (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Purple Grano (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Texas Large Sweet (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) White Bermuda (Territorial Seed Agency) |
Types of Onion Lifecycles
Onions are naturally each biennial or perennial vegetation, nonetheless many gardeners take care of them as annuals.
| Onion Lifecycles | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Biennial Onions | Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Parade Bunching (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, Burpee) Purple Carpet (Eden Brothers) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) White Ishikura (True Leaf Market) |
| Perennial Onions (moreover acceptable as annuals) | Imai Early Yellow (True Leaf Market) Purple Burgundy (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Purple Grano (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Southport White Globe (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Yellow Granex PRR (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
Types of Geographic Origins
The origin of onions is an effective thriller amongst meals historians. Some researchers counsel this kitchen staple is native to Central Asia, in all probability in Iran and West Pakistan. From the equivalent analysis, wild onions are drawn in historic Egyptian pyramids and tombs strategy once more 3200 B.C., depicting them as funeral decisions.
| Onion Geographic Origins | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| European and Mediterranean Onions | Ailsa Craig (Territorial Seed Agency) Borrettana Cipollini or Cipollini Yellow (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency) Flat of Italy (Unusual Seeds) Purple of Florence (Unusual Seeds) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
| Central, North, and South American Onions | Almagro (Territorial Seed Agency) Pacific Pearl (Territorial Seed Agency) Patterson (Territorial Seed Agency, Burpee) Southport White Globe (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Texas Large Sweet (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) |
| Asian Onions | Akatama Salad Purple (Unusual Seeds) Imai Early Yellow (True Leaf Market) Purple Burgundy (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Purple Spring (Territorial Seed Agency) White Ishikura (True Leaf Market, Unusual Seeds) |
Types of Culinary Makes use of
From French onion soup to appetizing onion rings, the onion’s white flesh offers a pure modern crunch aside from its daring aroma and strong style.
Types of Sickness Resistance
Heirloom varieties are often vulnerable to sickness points. Some heirloom varieties are bred to resist widespread plant illnesses in onions, equal to Botrytis leaf blight and purple blotch.
Types of Most popular Rising Conditions
Some onion varieties can thrive in a container and yield crop efficiently. If you happen to occur to’re aiming to reap large parts, ponder varieties for self-discipline planting.
| Most popular Rising Conditions | Widespread Examples (The place to Buy) |
|---|---|
| Greenhouse Onions | Eclipse L303 (True Leaf Market) Imai Early Yellow (True Leaf Market) Purple Grano (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Southport White Globe (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) White Grano (Eden Brothers) |
| Space Onions | Almagro (Territorial Seed Agency) Candy Hybrid (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Purple Mountain (Territorial Seed Agency) Walla Walla (Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Yellow Sweet Spanish (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, Unusual Seeds) |
| Container Onions | Crimson Forest (True Leaf Market) Crystal White Wax (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Heshiko (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) Purple Creole (Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee) Ruby (Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market) |
Widespread Types of Brown or Yellow Onions
Characterised by their brown to yellow skins, this onion type tends to have a light-weight style compared with others. These onions are widespread parts in numerous cuisines throughout the globe, along with in Asian dishes, Italian sauces, and Spanish paellas. If you happen to occur to’re aiming for light and caramelized onions (in all probability for a French onion soup), you can go for any of the varieties underneath.
| Choice | Description | Daylight Desires | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candy Hybrid | With associated traits to the Walla Walla choice, the Candy Hybrid can produce bulbs inside 3 months beneath excellent conditions. Its white rings are best for modern or raw features. | Intermediate/Neutral | 90 to 95 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee |
| Patterson | The brown onion is an effective storage choice which will ultimate anyplace between 10 to 12 months. | Prolonged-day | 104 to 110 days | Territorial Seed Agency, Burpee |
| Texas Large Sweet | Dr. Leonard Pike from Texas A&M School developed this onion choice which will weigh as so much a pound. It is known as the “million buck baby” amongst different types. | Fast-day | 110 to 175 days | Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee |
| Yellow Granex PRR | Proof against pink root rot, the Yellow Granex PRR offers a sweet model, acceptable for cooked or modern consumption. This choice is offered in utterly totally different names — Georgia Sweet, Noonday, and Vidalia. | Fast-day | 110 to 160 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market, Burpee |
| Yellow Sweet Spanish | Yellow Globe onions like this choice could also be saved inside 4 to 5 months. | Prolonged-day | 100 to 110 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, Unusual Seeds |
Widespread Types of Purple or Purple Onions
This onion type is unmistakable as a consequence of its purple to burgundy pores and pores and skin color. You might anticipate stronger style from these varieties, making them good for raw consumption. Nonetheless, some cooks add them sparingly as most varieties are more likely to have a peppery style.
| Choice | Description | Daylight Desires | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purple Creole | Developed in 1962, Purple Creole is understood for its modern and spicy style. Throw chopped Purple Creole in salsas or sauces in order so as to add a further kick! | Fast-day | 110 to 115 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market, Burpee |
| Purple Grano | This choice is a versatile heirloom with sweet style that works properly in burgers and wraps. The Purple Grano thrives properly in southern areas of Kansas and Oklahoma. | Fast-day | 112 to 120 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market |
| Purple Mountain | Purple Mountain is a storage onion type, offering mildly pungent style. Beneath one of the best conditions, they’re usually saved for 4 to 6 months. | Prolonged-day | 72 to 105 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| Purple Torpedo | Initially from a small Italian metropolis, the Purple Torpedo yields distinctive football- or spindle-shaped bulbs. When sliced, this choice is an outstanding topping in sandwiches. | Intermediate/Neutral | 110 to 115 days | Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market |
| Ruby Purple | Wonderful for container or greenhouse planting, the Ruby Purple can produce medium to large bulbs crammed with mildly sturdy style. | Prolonged-day | 110 to 125 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market |
Widespread Types of White Onions
With milder spice and style, white onions can add an thrilling crunch to your meals. This onion type tends to have papery white pores and pores and skin and moist flesh — good for garnishing, salsa, and sauce-making.
| Choice | Description | Daylight Desires | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early White Grano PRR | This hybrid choice was significantly bred to resist pink root rot that impacts onion vegetation. | Fast-day | 100 to 110 days | True Leaf Market |
| Ringmaster White Sweet Spanish | The Ringmaster White Sweet Spanish has a company single coronary heart, producing rings fantastic for cooking onion rings. | Prolonged-day | 105 to 110 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency |
| Southport White Globe | Able to withstand chilly climates, the Southport White Globe has a white flesh with barely pungent model. Within the US, it was first listed in 1906 by Charles Johnson. | Prolonged-day | 70 to 110 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market |
| Movie star | The Movie star is a hybrid onion choice, which acquired an All-America Selections award. Ensuing from its neutral daylight desires, it could be planted anyplace in North America. Furthermore, it is unsusceptible to pink root rot. | Intermediate/Neutral | 85 to 90 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| White Grano | If you happen to occur to’re looking for short-term storage onions, look no further. The White Grano is far much less pungent and proof in opposition to pink root rot. | Fast-day | 90 to 120 days | Eden Brothers |
Widespread Types of Pearl Onions
Acceptable for container or greenhouse planting, pearl onion varieties yield small white bulbs that are available a number of colors. From crimson to white to yellow, pearl onions could also be liked as garnishes or glazed as a aspect dish.
| Choice | Description | Daylight Desires | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal White Wax | Crystal White Wax is a form of onion producing tiny, pearl-like white bulbs excellent for cocktails and pickling. | Fast-day | 90 to 120 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market |
| Eclipse L303 | The Eclipse L303 prospers properly inside the southern areas of the US. These medium-sized bulbs are typically added into soups and stews. | Fast-day | 100 to 160 days | True Leaf Market |
| Pacific Pearl | This hybrid choice was first developed in Oregon. The plant produces marble-sized bulbs, which you can apply as garnish or use for pickling. | Intermediate/Neutral | 50 to 55 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
Widespread Types of Cipollini or Italian Pearl Onions
Cipollinis are characterised by their flat excessive. Yow will uncover them in a farmers market or native grocery retailer having every yellow and crimson varieties.
| Choice | Description | Daylight Desires | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barletta | This Italian cocktail heirloom choice produces a small bulb about 0.75-inch measurement. Barletta are moreover known as Little one Pearl Onions and Cocktail Onions. | Fast-day | 60 to 69 days | True Leaf Market |
| Borrettana Cipollini or Cipollini Yellow | This flat, coin-shaped onion choice retailers properly when braided. It’s good to use slices of Cipollinis for kebab roasts and pickling. | Prolonged-day | 85 to 110 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency |
| Purple Cipollini | The Purple Cipollini is a deep-flavored Italian onion rising bulbs about 3 to 4 inches huge. | Prolonged-day | 90 to 110 days | True Leaf Market |
Completely different Types of Onion
Completely different vegetation belonging to the onion family embody leeks and shallots.
Widespread Types of Leeks
A popular choice for shares, leeks is a broadleaf plant belonging to the equivalent family as onions. They arrive in a single white stalk with bundles of sprouting blue to darkish inexperienced tops. When using it inside the kitchen, it’s best to utterly wash your leeks as some grains of sand or soil can get into the primary stalk.
| Choice | Description | Days to Germination | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Flag | Usually referred to as Giant Musselburgh and Scotch Flag, the American Flag was first developed by the Division of Agriculture in 1870. It produces large inexperienced stalks with a fragile pear-white bulb. | 5 to 12 days | 90 to 105 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency, True Leaf Market |
| Bandit | This chilly hardy choice can resist splitting, sustaining a straight, rail-like sort. | 10 to 16 days | 100 to 120 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| Carantan | New at gardening? Carantan leek is an effective choice for planting as a result of it requires minimal repairs and is able to withstand poor soil prime quality. For the simplest style, this choice should be cooked. | 7 to 10 days | 95 to 110 days | True Leaf Market |
| Oslo | Take pleasure in stout stalks from this late-maturing choice that is proof in opposition to bolting. | 5 to 12 days | 100 to 110 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| Tokyo Prolonged White | A Japanese heirloom, the Tokyo Prolonged White grows delicious white stalks with inexperienced leaves, which are staples to Asian soups, omelets, and stir-fry. | 7 to 14 days | 70 to 75 days | Eden Brothers |
Widespread Types of Shallots
A cultivar of onion, shallot is a go-to onion in every Asian and French households. Pores and pores and skin color of shallots could also be brown, gray, and crimson, counting on the variability.
| Choice | Description | Days to Germination | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambition | Generally known as the “Rose of the Onion Family,” the Ambition shallots could also be saved for as long as a 12 months beneath excellent conditions. | 5 to 10 days | 100 to 120 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| Conservor | Conservors’ versatile style and easy-to-peel skins make them extraordinarily favored inside the kitchen. This cold-hardy choice works properly in meaty stir-fry dishes or modern salad dressings. | 5 to 10 days | 100 to 110 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
| Echalion Crème Brûlée | The first-ever shallot to bag a prize from the All-America Selections, the Crème Brûlée has a sweet-citrusy style and thin, rosy skins. | 7 to 12 days | 100 to 115 days | Territorial Seed Agency |
Widespread Types of Scallions or Spring Onions
Scallions lack a very original onion bulb, setting them aside from the rest of the onion family. They supply a milder onion style found of their inexperienced shoots. Chopped scallions are used as garnish in numerous Asian recipes —- from noodle soups to curries.
| Choice | Description | Days to Germination | Days to Maturity | The place to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heshiko | Heshiko is a Japanese bunching inexperienced onion that grows 12 to 14 inches prolonged. You might harvest them as a microgreen or have them to your meals in full maturity. | 7 to 10 days | 60 to 80 days | Eden Brothers, True Leaf Market |
| White Lisbon | This chilly and heat resistant inexperienced onion could also be grown all through fall, spring, and summer season. Its modern and mild style can elevate your salads. | 7 to 10 days | 60 to 110 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency |
| Parade | Parade spring onions stand out from the remaining as a consequence of its uniform and upright building. Beneath one of the best conditions, they’ll develop as tall as 14 inches. | 7 to 10 days | 65 to 70 days | Eden Brothers, Territorial Seed Agency |
FAQ About Types of Onion
Which onion type is best for caramelizing?
Sweet onion varieties like yellow onions are excellent for caramelizing as a consequence of their innate sweetness, which further develops when cooked. Ponder cooking Yellow Granex PRR or Walla Walla in olive oil or butter in your subsequent meal. You might incorporate brown sugar for a sweeter style.
Which onion choice has an prolonged storage life?
You might lengthen the storage lifetime of onions by following appropriate harvesting and curing and attaining the simplest storage conditions. Amongst a number of sorts of onions, Copra, Purple Zeppelin, Stuttgarter, and Sweet Sandwich are actually useful by the Iowa State School as a consequence of their extended storage life.
