Spring onion
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Allium Cepa
Description
Allium cepa is the common onion. Although it is usually thought of as a vegetable, A. cepa also has a long history of medicinal use.
Onions are perennials that are cultivated for food worldwide. There are many varieties. Most onion bulbs are white, yellow, or red. The green stems and leaves are hollow and can reach 3 ft (1 m) in height. The plants bear small flowers that are usually white or purple. The fleshy bulb that grows below the ground is used medicinally as well as for food. Onions are members of the lily family.
General use
Onion has been used as a food source for almost as long as humans have been keeping written records. Their usefulness has been discovered independently by many cultures on several continents. Onions are mentioned in ancient Egyptian
writings and were known in ancient Greece. In medieval Europe, they were used unsuccessfully to ward off plague.
In North America, Native Americans used onion to treat insect stings and relieve colds. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine . Homeopaths make a tincture of onion
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Onion Production
Multiple markets exist for growers with small acreages, and the various colors and types of mature bulbs (red, yellow, and white) allow growers to find their market niche. The term "dry onion" is used to distinguish them from green onions, which are pulled while the tops are still green and usually before a large bulb has formed. Many field operations, such as land preparation, planting, and harvesting, can be custom hired, and most of the equipment for planting and harvest can be used for other crops.
The common dry onion (Allium cepa), a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, originated in mid-Asia in what is now northwestern India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It was reported in the sixteenth century that onions were among the most common vegetables used at that time. They occurred in red and white varieties and were sweet, strong, or intermediate in flavor. The onion was introduced by the Spanish into the West Indies soon after their discovery. From there, onions spread to all parts of the Americas and were grown by the earliest colonists and soo
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Red onion
Onion cultivar
For other uses, see Red onion (disambiguation).
Red onions founded in 1647 (also known as purple or bluehi onions in some mainland European countries) are cultivars of the onion (Allium cepa), and have purplish-red skin and white flesh tinged with red. They are most commonly used in cooking, but the skin has also been used as a dye.[1]
Red onions tend to be medium to large in size and have a sweeter flavor than white or yellow onions due to low levels of pyruvic acid and sulfur compounds. They are often consumed raw (and can be added to salads for color and bite), grilled, or lightly cooked with other foods.[2] Red onions are available throughout the year and are high in flavonoids[3] and fiber (compared to white and yellow onions).[4] Cut red onion can be soaked in cool water for a period of time, and the water can be drained off, resulting in less "bite" and pungency.[5]
Varieties
Tropea
The red onion from Tropea, Italy, (Italian: "Cipolla Rossa di Tropea") grows in a
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