Nodding Onion

Allium cernuum

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Spodoptera ornithogalli (Yellow-striped Armyworm), Schinia rosea (Rosewing)
S14 2 Noctuidae host records, both Nearctic
❄️ Winter Food Source: Allium bulbs are consumed by Wild Turkey (Phasianidae), which forage through ground litter in winter; Chukar also recorded feeding on Allium. Seeds persist in capsules into autumn and may provide minor late-season forage.
S57 genus-level avian diet records; S4 bulbs utilized by bears and ground squirrels

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SE
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands
Rarity Notes: Ranked S2 (Imperiled) in Ontario with a globally secure status (G5, N5 Canada). Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Ontario populations are restricted to scattered prairie remnants, alvars, and calcareous fens in the southern part of the province. Not native to Quebec per VASCAN.
S22 G5, N5, S2 ON; S26 not SARA listed; S1 not native QC
Rarity Ranks: QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON S2 – Imperiled
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Occupies dry to moist prairies, rocky or wooded slopes, stream banks, fens, and open meadows. In Ontario ranked S2 (Imperiled), restricted to scattered calcareous or prairie-fen habitats in the southern part of the province. Associates with open grasslands and south-facing bluffs alongside Quercus muehlenbergii, Cercis canadensis, and Andropogon gerardii.
S4 dry to moist prairies, stream banks; S7 fens, moist sunny swales, prairie remnants; S22 S2 Ontario; S29 ledges, gravels, rocky or wooded slopes

Roles: Insectary Plant, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Insectary Plant: S64 NPPBI 'beneficial insects' flag] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]
Notes: Allium species are classic guild companions owing to their sulfur compounds, which deter pests and confuse herbivores. Nodding onion functions as a grass suppressor in fruit tree guilds (Hemenway) and repels insects and moles. The strong aroma acts as a natural pest confuser. However, it inhibits legume growth, so should not be planted near nitrogen-fixing species or alfalfa.
S29 pest confuser, inhibits legumes; S72 apple_guild:grass_suppressor; S71 evidence framework

Category: Cold Remedy, Dermatological Aid, Febrifuge, Gastrointestinal Aid, Kidney Aid, Liver Aid, Pediatric Aid, Pulmonary Aid, Respiratory Aid, Throat Aid, Urinary Aid, Lithontripic
S28 Moerman drug categories; S29 lithontripic
Notes: Used by Cherokee, Isleta, and other Indigenous nations. Juice taken for colds, sore throats, croup, and respiratory ailments. Poultice applied to chest for pulmonary complaints and to infections externally. Juice used in treatment of kidney stones (lithontripic). Action similar to garlic (Allium sativum) with mild antimicrobial activity.
S28 18 drug/medicine uses; S29 PFAF medicinal notes

✅ Edible ✅ Commonly Eaten

Foraging Notes: All parts have a pleasant onion flavour. Bulbs eaten raw or cooked as a spicy onion (approx. 50 mm tall, 15 mm wide). Leaves used raw in salads or cooked as a green from spring through autumn. Flowers have a stronger flavour than leaves and make a decorative salad addition. Widely used by Indigenous peoples across North America: bulbs eaten fresh, pit-baked, fried with meat, or stored for winter; used as spice and condiment by Blackfoot, Flathead, Hopi, Apache, and many others.
S29 PFAF edibility 5/5; S28 33 food uses; S4 bulbs utilized