Everlasting onions

[terrier]

Some years ago, I was given some plants that looked like large spring onions. I was told they were 'everlasting onions'. They grew very quickly into clumps with gark green leaves about two foot high. Since then I've moved house and the onions didn't move with me but I thought now that I have a veg patch I'd like to grow them again. Does anybody know what they were and where I might get them? ( they made wonderful onion soup)

[vicki lorraine]

Were they Welsh onions? remember reading something about these and sounded similar i think.
Im sure an onion expert will be along shortly.

[Miss. Bee]

Everlasting Onions

They are also referred to as "Egyptian Tree Onions", you may have more luck looking for them under this name.
Hope this helps !!

[zazen999]

I've got some seeds of Welsh Onions, and Siberian Onions - both I think are the same thing as you have described. If you want some, PM me.

[gojiberry]

Looking in the books Welsh onions and Tree (Egyptian) onions are two different types of onion. Welsh onions can be sown from seed whereas the tree onion is propagated from the little bulbs produced on the tree bit. Both of these onions should be lifted and split every 3 years. Welsh onions are sometimes called Japanese Leek.
Ian

[Snadger]

I've got both on my lottie!

I've just given a huge clump of welsh onions away because I aint too impressed with them and I grow a lot of different alliums.

They have a very, very, mild onion flavour and you need to use loads in a cheese sarnie just to liven it up. More akin to leek in flavour methinks.

Gojiberry is right, Egyptian tree onions are completely different animals and are usually grown for there bulbs, which form on the top of the plant where a seed head would usually be!

[Paulottie]

What are Gojiberries like for flavour then Snadger?...worth growing ?

[Snadger]

What are Gojiberries like for flavour then Snadger?...worth growing ?

Don't know, never grew em!!

[Sue]

Terrier
I grew these, got the seed from Real Seeds, they've got them listed again for this year.
Useful but when I ran out of fresh onions found the "onion mush" (from Nigella Lawson's recipe) I'd prepared in great quantities and kept in the freezer more useful.
Don't know as I'd grow them again especially as I've found I like spinach (never eaten it before I got an allotment....) will want the space to grow loads of this for the winter.
Sue

[Paulottie]

Don't know, never grew em!!

Sorry to be an ass there Snadger...senior moment; I'm reduced to the attention span of a goldfish of late, I meant to type Egyptian onions there.....

[terrier]

The reason I grew them was that they were very fast growers and a lot easier than spring onions. I agree not to much flavour but handy for soups and stews, I just used to grab a handfull for the pot, never seemed to run out.
Sue, were they called Welsh onions from real seeds??

[Snadger]

Sorry to be an ass there Snadger...senior moment; I'm reduced to the attention span of a goldfish of late, I meant to type Egyptian onions there.....

Aaah!............. Still not much help I'm afraid though as I only started with one as a novelty, so I'm gradually building up stocks!

I've got about a dozen sets now but haven't tasted them yet. (Thats probably why they're termed as everlasting onions!)
I'm also waiting to see if the original plant is a perennial or whether you're only left with the sets each year! Once the growing season gets underway I'll find out!

Isn't life interesting!

[Sue]

Terrier
They were Winterhecke Bunching Onion to be sown in late summer.
Real Seeds say they're out of stock at the moment with more seed due in April.
best
Sue

[terrier]

Bunching Onion sounds about right as that's how they grew. Thanx Sue.

[mattcavens]

True every lasting onions are called Allium cepa 'Perutile' they are similar to the Welsh onion but can not be grown from seed but by division only.

Welsh onions (Allium fistulosum) come in 3 different varieties white, red and garlic flavoured all have different coloured flowers. They can be grown from seed or division.

Egyptian walking onion (Allium cepa proliferum) This onion is something completely different they are 4 different varieties. McCullar's White Topset , Norris Egyptian, Catawissa Onion and Norris Egyptian.
Hope this helps