Scallion (Allium fistulosum 'Evergreen') is a perennial bunching onion that delivers fresh, onion-flavored leaves year-round in mild climates, or reliably through cold winters in zones 3-9. Unlike bulbing onions, this variety develops only barely-thickened underground stems, focusing all its energy into producing tender, harvestable foliage. The hollow, blue-green flowering stalks reach 24-36 inches tall and top off with showy, fragrant globular flower clusters in May, making it as ornamental as it is productive. Deer avoid it entirely, and it spreads slowly through clumps, rewarding patient gardeners with an ever-expanding harvest.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
36in H x 24in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
This evergreen perennial onion produces continuous harvests of tasty, onion-flavored leaves rather than bulbs, making it a no-fuss staple for kitchen gardens. The striking blue-green flowering stalks rise dramatically in late spring, crowned with fragrant, showy umbels that attract pollinators while feeding you. Clumps spread slowly over time, creating an expanding source of fresh greens without replanting year after year.
Harvest the green leaves continuously for salads, soups, stir-fries, and any dish calling for fresh onion flavor. The tender white bases offer a milder taste when separated and used as a garnish or side vegetable. In mild-winter zones, you can harvest year-round from established clumps; in colder regions, spring through fall cutting becomes routine, with the plant returning reliably each season.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Divide established clumps in spring or fall, spacing divisions 12-24 inches apart depending on desired spread rate. Set crowns at soil level. Water in thoroughly after planting.
Direct sow seed in spring or fall in prepared soil. Scatter seed thinly on moist soil and rake lightly to cover; keep soil consistently moist until seedlings are 2-3 inches tall.
Begin harvesting leaves once plants reach 6-8 inches tall by snipping the outer green leaves at the base, leaving the center crown intact to continue growing. In mild-winter zones, harvest year-round from established clumps. In colder regions, harvest spring through fall as growth slows in winter dormancy. The tender white bases can be separated and harvested when fully developed, typically after 60-90 days from planting.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Allium fistulosum is known by several regional names, spring onion, Welsh onion, or Japanese bunching onion, each reflecting where gardeners have treasured it across different continents. The 'Evergreen' selection carries the species' long history of cultivation as a perennial vegetable, particularly valued in Japanese and Asian gardening traditions where bunching onions have been grown for generations. This evergreen form emerged from careful selection within the species, prioritizing the trait of cold-hardiness and consistent leaf production that makes it viable as a true perennial rather than a annual crop.”