Common Name: Shallot

General Information

Allium cepa aggregatum is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a cluster of leaves around 30cm long and a flowering scape around 50cm tall from an underground bulb. The plant divides, forming in time a cluster of plants[].
Both the shallot and the tree onion are included here. The shallot is still widely cultivated, in gardens and commercially, for its bulbs, whilst the potato onion is little known.

Known Hazards

There have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of this plant. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible[].

Botanical References

Range

Original habitat is obscure.

Habitat

Not known in the wild.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Bees, insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

This is a genuinely perennial form of A. cepa that is widely grown in temperate and tropical areas for its edible bulbs[].
Prefers a sunny position in a light well-drained soil but tolerates most soils.[, ]. Does not grow well on heavy clays[]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 to 7[]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3.
These bulbs are milder but smaller than the onion. There are several named forms[]. The plant is easier to grow than onions, matures faster and keeps better[], though yields are lower. Plants are very tolerant of high temperatures up to 30°c and bulbing only occurs at temperatures above 20°c[]. Shallots can tolerate relatively high rainfall, though yields are then reduced mainly due to disease problems[]. A dry spell as the plants mature is required in order to properly ripen the bulbs to ensure they last longer in storage[]. Bulbs tend to be larger when grown in areas with longer day-length[]. Up to three crops per year can be grown in Tropical areas[].
Plants rarely produce viable seed in temperate or lowland tropical areas, they are usually propagated by means of their bulbs, each one dividing up in the growing season to produce from 2 to more than 12 new bulbs[].
Bulbs can become infected with virus, it is important to only plant clean stock[].
Closely related to A. Oschanini. O.Fedsch., a wild species found in C. Asia.
Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[, , ]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

Bulb - raw or cooked. A mild onion flavour, the bulbs can be up to 6cm in diameter. They can be added to salads etc, cooked as a vegetable or used as a flavouring in soups etc[, , , ].
Leaves - raw or cooked. A pleasant onion flavour, though they should not be harvested in quantity since this would reduce production of the bulbs[].
Flowers - raw. Used as a garnish on salads. The flowers are somewhat dry and are less pleasant than many other species[].

Medicinal

Although rarely used specifically as a medicinal herb, the onion has a wide range of beneficial actions on the body and when eaten (especially raw) on a regular basis will promote the general health of the body.
The bulb is anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, hypoglycaemic, hypotensive, lithontripic, stomachic and tonic[, , ]. When used regularly in the diet it offsets tendencies towards angina, arteriosclerosis and heart attack[]. It is also useful in preventing oral infection and tooth decay[]. Baked onions can be used as a poultice to remove pus from sores[].
Fresh onion juice is a very useful first aid treatment for bee and wasp stings, bites, grazes or fungal skin complaints[, ]. When warmed the juice can be dropped into the ear to treat earache[]. It also aids the formation of scar tissue on wounds, thus speeding up the healing process, and has been used as a cosmetic to remove freckles[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The growing plant is said to repel insects and moles[]. A spray made by pouring enough boiling water to cover 1kg of chopped unpeeled onions is said to increase the resistance of other plants to diseases and parasites[].

Other Uses

The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent and can also be rubbed onto the skin to repel insects[].
The plant juice can be used as a rust preventative on metals and as a polish for copper and glass[].
A yellow-brown dye is obtained from the skins of the bulbs[, ].
Onion juice rubbed into the skin is said to promote the growth of hair and to be a remedy for baldness[]. It is also used as a cosmetic to get rid of freckles[].

Propagation

Plant out bulbs in late winter or very early spring. Plant firmly to half the bulbs depth and protect from birds until the bulbs have rooted[]. (Birds seem to have a fascination for pulling the bulbs out of the ground and then leaving them lying on the surface[].) Traditionally, bulbs were planted on the shortest day and harvested on the longest. Smaller bulbs are less likely to bolt as a result of exposure to cold conditions[].

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