VegetableOnion
Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onion
Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onion is a legendary short-day bulbing onion developed by Dr. Leonard Pike at Texas A&M University, named for its traditional October 15 planting date in Texas. This open-pollinated heirloom thrives in zones 2 through 9 and matures in 110 to 119 days, producing bulbs that reach 14 to 24 inches tall. Its reputation for exceptional sweetness and mild flavor has made it a cornerstone of Texas gardening and a favorite among onion enthusiasts nationwide who appreciate both its culinary excellence and adaptability to diverse growing conditions.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam, Moderately Rich
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
Spacing
3
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-9
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The Texas 1015 carries real history in its name and genetics, developed through deliberate breeding at a major agricultural university to solve a regional growing challenge. Its short-day classification traditionally suggests it belongs in southern gardens, yet it proves flexible enough to succeed across a wide hardiness range, from zone 2 through zone 9. The variety's sweet, mild character reflects careful selection by Dr. Pike, making it distinctly different from pungent storage onions and demonstrating that regional breeding work can create varieties with genuine advantage.
Common Uses
Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onions excel in raw preparations where their mild, sweet character shines undiminished. Slice them thin for salads, sandwich toppings, and fresh salsas where their crisp texture and lack of harsh bite allow other ingredients to shine. Their sweetness also translates beautifully to caramelizing, grilling, and roasting, where the natural sugars develop deep, complex flavors. They store adequately for fresh use through winter, making them a reliable choice for onion lovers who prefer sweetness over the sharp bite of storage varieties.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off, spacing them 3 inches apart in rows 15 inches apart. In zones 2 through 8, plant in spring after the last frost when soil is workable. In zone 9 and warmer areas, follow the traditional October 15 planting date for fall establishment.
Direct Sow
Direct sow seeds in prepared beds, planting shallowly in full sun. Thin seedlings to 3-inch spacing as they establish.
Harvesting
Harvest Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onions after 110 to 119 days when the bulbs reach mature size and the foliage begins to yellow and fall over. This toppling of green tops is your primary visual cue that bulbs have stopped active growth and are beginning their storage phase. Gently dig bulbs from the soil and allow them to cure in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location for two to three weeks before storing or using. Handle carefully to avoid bruising, which compromises storage life.
Growing Calendar
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Allium cepa
Family
Amaryllidaceae
Genus
Allium
Native Status
L48 (I)
History & Origin
“The Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onion emerged from deliberate plant breeding at Texas A&M University under the direction of Dr. Leonard Pike, a legendary figure in onion development. The variety's name encodes its regional purpose: the October 15 date represents the traditional planting window in Texas's unique climate, where fall planting allows bulbs to develop through the mild winter and mature in spring. This wasn't accidental discovery but targeted innovation, breeding work designed to create an onion that honored both Texas growing conditions and the flavor preferences of the state's gardeners and consumers. The open-pollinated, heirloom status means seed savers today maintain the same genetics Pike selected, preserving his work across generations.”