The Egyptian Walking Onion
We've all heard of yellow, green, white and red onions. We've seen sweet onions, Walla Wallas, and shallots. Far fewer know about the Egyptian Walking Onion. I came across it in a video about perennial vegetables. Egyptian Walking Onions are among only 6-10 in the Allium family that are perennial. Most onions need to be replanted every season. I, for one, am a huge fan of efficiency and not having to constantly replant is much more efficient than constantly re-planting.
The Egyptian Walking Onion is also called tree onions, topsetting onions, and walking onions--so-called because they 'walk' across your garden, re-planting and propagating themselves.
These onions thrive in USDA zones 3-10--in other words from Minnesota and Maine to Arizona and Florida. Unless you live on the equator or on Antarctica, your chances with Egyptian Walking Onions are pretty good!
Health, Nutrition, and Medicinal Uses:
Might want to grab a cup of tea or coffee. There's a lot here! The walking onion has nutritional benefits similar to other alliums (their advantage being their perennial nature). When eaten regularly, they're good for overall health. Specifically, they can be beneficial for:
- heart
- blood sugar
- immune system
- lowering the risk of cancer
- reducing inflammation and oxidative stress
- reducing chronic diseases
- preventing infetion
- lowering blood pressure
- reducing cholesterol and triglyceride levels, for better heart health
- arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure
- preventing cancer
They are:
- antibacterial
- antiviral
- anti-inflammatory
They can help with blood-clotting issues and angina, thus giving an edge against heart attacks. That's certainly worth a bit of pungency!
What parts can be eaten:
Every part of the walking onion can be eaten--the greens, bulbils, and underground bulbs. All are edible and full of nutrients, specifically vitamins A, C, and K and minerals including potassium (good for heart and muscle). They provide prebiotic fiber, they benefit good bacteria, aid digestion and are low in calories. Their essential oils are good for respiratory issues and allergies.
Medicinal Uses:
The juice from walking onions has been used to treat bee stings, wasp bites, scratches, and fungal infections. Some sources say they can help prevent osteoporosis thanks to their mineral content.
Cooking walking onions is fine but the greatest health benefits come from eating them raw.
Flavor and Use:
Egyptian Walking Onions are a bit pungent, smaller than standard onions, tasting somewhat like a shallot with a sharper bite. The greens resemble scallions or chives, giving a mild onion flavor when used fresh. The bulbils can be eaten raw, cooked, or pickled.
Propagation:
Instead of producing flowers and seeds atop their stalks, walking onions grow bluish-green 'scapes' 2-3 feet high and then develop clusters of tiny onion bulbs, called bulbils, atop them. As these 'topsets' mature, they become heavy, causing the stalk to bend under their weight, till it drops them into the soil a foot or two away from Mama Onion. They root, there, grow a new stalk, a new set of bulbils, and continue 'walking' across your garden. Each plant can travel up to two feet per year and produce up to six new plants.
They can grow in poor soils that would be a challenge to other onions and can tolerate both longer and shorter days in various climates.
Planting and Care:
- Get a bulbil. They rarely produce seeds. I got mine online.
- Plant spring or fall, in full sun with well-drained soil.
- pH should ideally be between 6.2 and 6.8.
- You can enrich with compost but they're not heavy feeders.
- Plant 1-2 inches deep
- Space 6-10 inches apart.
Water them moderately keeping the soil only slightly moist, as they establish themselves, but they are drought-resistant once they're established and need no extra watering in most climates.
Mulch to help retain moisture.
They are pest-resistant and typically need no fertilizer.
In colder zones, mulch them over winter for protection, which will give you late-winter scallions.
Harvest:
Greens: harvest throughout the season
Bulbils: harvest in late summer when the topsets form
Underground bulbs: harvest sparingly to maintain the onion patch.
Every second or third year, divide any overcrowded patches in early spring or fall to rejuvenate growth and productivity. Pull stray plants if necessary.
I planted my Egyptian Walking Onions in a pot a few days ago, as we're still expecting a night or two below freezing here in the Appalachians, but I'm excited to plant the rest outdoors after our last freeze and see how them begin to spread and supply us with great food!
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