ONH

Olympic Onion

Allium crenulatum

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    1 - Olympic Onion, Allium crenulatum.

    07/19/2008 Blue Mountain/Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    2 - Olympic Onion typically grows on dry scree.

    07/18/2010 Blue Mountain/Deer Park, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    3 - Olympic Onion.

    07/12/2006 Hurricane Hill Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    4 - Olympic Onion, showing the thick, typically curled leaves.

    05/19/2007 Upper Wolf Creek Trail, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    5 - Olympic Onion bud.

    06/26/2007 Hurricane Hill Area, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    6 - Olympic Onion bud.

    06/23/2010 Hurricane Hill Area, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    7 - Olympic Onion bud and root.

    06/23/2010 Hurricane Hill Area, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    8 - Olympic Onion with a feeding halictid bee.

    07/14/2009, Sunrise Ridge, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

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    9 - Olympic Onion with a feeding syrphid fly.

    07/11/2010, Obstruction Point Area, Olympic National Park, Washington

Olympic Onion, Allium crenulatum, grows plentifully in the Hurricane Ridge and Obstruction areas (just under 5,000 feet) of Olympic National Park, often on dry scree. The root, which resembles a cocktail onion, was occasionally eaten by Pacific Northwest Native Americans.

Several onion species grow in the Pacific Northwest, and can be difficult to distinguish without a key.