The multiplying onions we planted are all up and growing. Just behind them is our row of walking onions, also called Egyptian walking onions.
Walking onions are a perennial plant. Although the onion tastes the same as other onions, it has a unique growth process.
Instead of flowering when they go to seed, the onions form a cluster of bulbs on the top of the stalk. The heaviness of the bulbs force them to drop or fall over to the ground. Once the bulbs have reached soil, it’s as if they’ve planted themselves and they start the growing cycle over. In theory as the onions go through the growing process several times they are “walking” across the ground.
I’m guessing the Egyptian usage in the name comes from the unique way the stalks and bulbs sprout. It is very reminiscent of hieroglyphics, but I don’t really know for sure.
The plant is hardy in zones 3-10. Onions will die back over winter in cold regions, but once spring temps arrive new growth begins to appear.
Long time Blind Pig reader, Bill Dotson, shared the onions with me.
If you’re interested in growing Egyptian Onions, Bill has generously offered to send you a few sets for only the cost of shipping. You can contact him at billdotson@hotmail.
Last night’s video: Alex Stewart Portrait of a Pioneer 22.
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Thanks Tipper for letting me know about Mr. Dotson and a Big Thank You to Bill for being generous with his walking onions, he’s supposed to send me some next week.
I like gardening and growing all kinds of plants. I especially like growing onions and garlic, so I’ve enjoyed the recent post on multiplying onions and today the Egyptian Walking Onions. I hope it’s not too late in the year but I ordered some of the multiplying onions from a place in Texas, I received them earlier this week and have them in the ground now. I usually order onion plants from Dixondale Farms, a company also from Texas, I usually grow nice size onion heads but something went wrong this year and my onions & potatoes didn’t have any size to them.
Thanks again for letting me know about Mr.Bill Dotson and I hope I can be generous in the future with others if my multiplying onions and egyptian walking onions do well.
Ordinary onions will develop bulblets like that on a central stem. We call them barrel onions because that stem grows into the shape of an elongated barrel. It will bloom then little tiny onions will grow where the bloom was. I never thought to try to plant them or to let the stem grow til it falls over. Not all onion buttons do that. We always just pull those that do and eat them as green onions because if you let them grow to maturity the bulb will be so sharp you can’t eat it or even cook with it. Those bulbs usually won’t keep and will cause the rest of your onions to rot if you store them together.
If I’m still around next spring, and I’m able to garden, I might experiment with them if I have any that do that.
Like another commenter, I had some but they got gone; critters, drought, hard ground, A hex, who knows.
I have a question for anybody who sees it and cares to respond. Seeing a green spear of garlic in the garden reminded me once again. Why isn’t garlic used in the green stage? It isn’t available as dry bulbs when – for one example – tomatoes are ripe or any of the other summer things it might could be used with. I looked online and it isn’t as if it was not done at all but it is very uncommon it seems. I think.maybe like onion it might be milder.
It is called Green Garlic Scapes. I didn’t just google them. I saw some folks using them in a recipe on YouTube.
I did do a little research on these onions, and they are also called, tree onions so I’m sure now that is what mama had. She probably never knew the exact name to be Egyptian Walking Onions. I also see why they would be called tree onions because of the stalk and then the top of them. Very interesting!!
I just moved to California in 2021 and in my backyard planter are these “flowers” that look suspiciously like the picture of the walking onions, They keep bending over the edge of the planter so have been a bit problematic. I must check this out because I love onions and after reading your blog today, I thought that I would buy some seeds. Well, just maybe I don’t have to do that. I really enjoy your blog and your Youtube presentations. Thank you for introducing me to the Appalachian lifestyle.
Thank you Bil for such a generous offer. I just received my order of walking unions from Sow True Seeds or I would have taken your offer up. I wanted to plant them this weekend but just haven’t gotten to it. In Florida we can plant them ‘around now’ so I still have time. Thank you Tipper and Bill!
The picture of this onion looks like the ones my mama had that she called volunteer onions. They had clusters of seed on the stalks of them. Now I wonder if they were walking onions. I wish I knew for sure. Tipper, that Alex Stewart was something else. I enjoyed last night’s reading from the buttons and combs made out of cow horns, the ropes made out of wood to the exploding of a frozen tree. Loved how he talked about the plane and his trip to Washington. It’s amazing what folks did back in those days and how creative they were. It will be hard to top this book.
We grow those onions in Canada but always called them winter onions.
I’ve never heard of these onions before, but they really sound as if they produce a lot of onions in a little space and they recreate themselves every season! It’s very nice of Bill to offer starters for us! Thank you, Bill!
Looking @ the picture, I remember my dad growing these. He just called them ‘wild onions. I wonder if they’re the same? Well, off to ‘google’ it!
These onions have their own website! There is a ton of info about planting and growing them, and even an explanation of where they got their name. Very interesting.
https://www.egyptianwalkingonion.com/
The Walking Onions I ordered last month arrived this week. Guess who’ going to be planting garlic and onions this weekend. Along with ginger these make the best flu medicine around.
I have enjoyed hearing the life of Alex Stewart and thank you so much for reading his life’s story. I’m always shocked like in awe when you say a word I haven’t heart in what seems like eons. I have stood by the little creek that my father got water from to fill his mother’s cast iron boiling pots for warshing clothes. My mother said that creek never ran dry. The word you said was “battling” which my grandmother used when she was warshing and using her battling board. I had never heard that from anyone else. I love my automatic washing machine and I’m so glad my father helped his mother as that must have been a tough job in the freezing winter and HOT summer.
When Mr. Dotson offered to share his Egyptian Walking Onions last year I requested some. I planted them here in Connecticut not sure whether they could withstand going right into a cold season. In the spring they showed up and are walking through my onion patch!
We had walking onions for several years but somehow lost them. The blacksmith always called them winter onions. So. Asked him about them today, he said well the real name is walking onions. So I learned something new today.
I love onions so much!! I love their smell, and how they make everything taste so much better. In fact, I think a candle that smelled like freshly sliced onions would be a hot seller!! I wish I could take advantage of Bill Dotson’s wonderful and generous offer of these onion sets. All those who do receive his onions will be blessed for years! I think it is very interesting how you said the onions grow in a hieroglyphics pattern. This was a really nice post, Tipper. I enjoyed reading it!
I am sorry I have been away for awhile. There was a family emergency that came up. I have been reading your posts and watching all of you and the girls’ new videos while I have been absent, but I was so very busy helping family that I just couldn’t wrap my brain around writing anything. I want you to know I have enjoyed all of your content the past couple of weeks on this blog and your family’s you tube channels. I may not be Appalachian born and raised, but our passions in life run the same. You really do have an excellent way of stirring up memories, and giving the desire to keep traditions alive. Thank you for sharing your dreams and thoughts with us!
Donna. : )
Ole Bill sure is generous and friendly with his onions and what a blessing he will give to many! I must say I never saw any plant quite like it and I suppose that’s a purple looking seed pod that looks like a star to me. If that ain’t an onion sprouting out of the stalk, I’m a monkey’s uncle (which it wouldn’t be the first and won’t be the last time I do.) What a splendid happening that I want to get in on because it’s a BP& A cool thing to do and we can all have some food alike…thanks Tipper and Bill of course!!!
Tipper, I continue to be fascinated by the life of Alex Stewart. What a wonderful example of a true pioneer!
Hate to end our time with him, but thank you so much for sharing his skills and accounts of life long ago
with us. His reference to dipping day-old biscuits in water before baking reminded me that my granny used
to sprinkle them with water on top before warming them up and they were just like fresh! You awakened that
memory for me.
You know I gotta try those onions…looks amazing and I am an onion and garlic lover. Thanks for the info. I am already missing Alex, this is one that I have learned sooo much from. Make next Friday’s last more that one reading….lol. God Bless, young lady.
I got some onions from Bill last year and they are up and doing well. We’ve eaten some and boy to they taste good!
They are even “walking” over the onion bed I started last year, so hopefully they will last a long time.
As a side note, I tried some of the pickled cabbage last night that I made using the pickled pepper recipe that you shared recently. I had told you I would let you know if it tasted good, so I love it but my husband, not so much. I put some dried dill in with the cabbage and I really like how it flavored it. I should have put some garlic in it, but didn’t think about that until right now.
My mother had onions that would have the clusters of seed on the stalks that would come back up each year. This was back in the late 50’s or early 60’s. She just called them multiplying onions and would eat them like today’s green onions. I wonder if they were walking onions? I remember them looking just like the onion in the picture. Multiplying may grow the same way, i don’t know that much about either ones.
My son grows this unique variety of onion. We enjoy eating them.