Honey bees get nectar and pollen from this plant.

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Habitat: Moist soils in cool mountain forests. Range: Across northern North America; south to southern Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas; in the eastern mountains to Georgia; also in Mexico. Other: The "nodding" umbel distinguishes this species from all others in the West.

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These plants are highly adaptable in the garden, thriving in sun or shade, moist soils or dry, water-wise landscapes.

When planted as annuals:
Sow outside: 2 to 4 weeks after average last frost or late fall for germination the following spring.
Start inside: 8 to 10 weeks before average last frost.

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Allium cernuum has special value to native bees, and attracts a variety of bee species including leafcutter, small resin, sweat, bumble, and cellophane bees.

This plant supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden, including syrphid flies and soldier beetles, which eat common garden pests. Allium cernuum also reportedly helps to repel aphids, carrot flies, moles, tree borers, and weevils.

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Pretty neat little plant to observe...the pedicels bend upward once the flower develops.

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This Nodding Onion has a large native range from New York to British Columbia & Washington & Oregon, down the Rocky Mountains through Arizona & New Mexico into northern Mexico back to northern Georgia, growing in moist or dry areas, especially rocky outcrops, dry prairie, and dry woodland edges. It seems to be the onion species that Algonquian Indians (probably Miami) called "chigagou" after which the City of Chicago, IL got its name. It likes full sun best and a dry or moist soil that is neutral or slightly aljkaline. It can be divided every three years or when 8 to 10 bulbs appear in a clump if needed or wanted. It does self-sow some, but it spreads slowly. One can deadhead the spent flowers if seed is not wanted. The flowers are usually light lilac-pink, but can be white to pink to purple. This onion is supposed to be slightly toxic if eaten by humans. Native Americans used it carefully for some medicinal uses. Native plant nurseries sell some for native or naturalistic gardens and landscapes, though it would work well in a conventional situation. I don't know of it being sold at any conventional nurseries, which mostly sell cultivars of Eurasian species of ornamental onions. Short-tongued bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are noted as pollinators.

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