Bloomipedia
Nodding onion (Allium cernuum)
Photo: Cody Hinchliff via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Nodding onion

Allium cernuum

Native in the lower 48

Nodding onion is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

34states
3of our state lists
8,758U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Montana, New Mexico

Quick look

Allium cernuum, known as nodding onion or lady's leek, is a perennial plant in the genus Allium. It grows in open areas in North America.

  • It belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 34 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, New Mexico and Montana. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,889 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #87 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 976 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #52 among the 109 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 684 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #60 among the 109 flowers on our Montana list. iNaturalist

Nodding onion gift ideas

Handmade nodding onion gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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    Nodding onion art print

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    Nodding onion greeting card

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    Nodding onion mug

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    Nodding onion earrings

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    Nodding onion embroidery pattern

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    Nodding onion sticker

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,033 records)
Bloom time in each of our 3 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeJuly–September1,889
New MexicoNativeJuly–September976
MontanaNativeJune–August684

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
Montana
No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Montana.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (SH), IL (S2), NY (S2), SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “The bulb is edible but is rarely used as better plants exist for this purpose. Flowers are edible.” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Allium ampeloprasum (“Leek”), as toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records nodding onion in 34 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Alamosa, Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Douglas, El Paso, Garfield, Gilpin, Gunnison, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Larimer, Las Animas, Mesa, Mineral, Montezuma, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, Teller.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, Colfax, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Harding, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia.

Montana counties with USDA records: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Fergus, Flathead, Gallatin, Glacier, Golden Valley, Granite, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Phillips, Ravalli, Rosebud, Sanders, Sweet Grass, Teton, Toole, Wheatland.

More Colorado flowers

Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Daffodil

Narcissus pseudonarcissus

🌷 Garden flower

🌷 Grown in Colorado gardens
Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Great mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–October
Blue columbine (Aquilegia coerulea)

Blue columbine

Aquilegia coerulea

★ CO state flowerNative

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August

Sources