Rakkyo is a bulbous perennial onion relative grown for its small, pungent bulbs that are pickled or eaten raw or cooked. It is easy to grow in a sunny, well-drained spot and is cold hardy.
Family
Amaryllidaceae (Daffodil & onion family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly during active growth and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings; avoid waterlogging.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile garden soil or loam with added organic matter.
Temperature
10–25 °C; hardy to about -15 °C, tolerates cold winters when dormant.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Not known to be toxic
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
S. China to Hainan
Climate
temperate
About
Allium chinense (also known as Jiaotou, Chinese onion, Chinese scallion, glittering chive, Japanese scallion, Kiangsi scallion, and Oriental onion) is an edible species of Allium, native to China, and cultivated in many other countries. Its close relatives include the onion, scallion, leek, chive, and garlic.
Where it grows
Allium chinense is native to China (in Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces). It is naturalized in other parts of Asia as well as in North America.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Allium chinense by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.