Nodding Onion

Allium cernuum

Generally in open woodlands or around outcrops of shale, mafic, ultramafic, or calcareous rocks, in the mountains at low elevations. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 6 inches–2 feet
Spread: 4–12 inches
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 1 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 100 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Allium cernuum — flower photograph — (c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial, from a bulb
Bloom: Summer
Fruiting season: August to October

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 47 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Limestone cedar glade. Shown: Pennyroyal Plain, Simpson County, Kentucky, a neighboring state.Cedar glade in the Pennyroyal Plain, Simpson County, Mason Brock (Masebrock), undated. Public domain. Source record.

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 124 animals.

Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Screech-owl
Megascops asio
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

19CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Allium

Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Anarta trifoliiThe Nutmeg, Clover Cutworm
Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm

Show all 19

Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

20BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Allium

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Allium

Alectoris chukarChukar
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Alliaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline
Flower color: Pink, purple or white
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Summer” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Flower color · “Pink, purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differs)
Fruit begins · “August” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “6 inches–2 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Minnesota Wildflowers, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Life cycle · “Perennial, from a bulb” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs)
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; NC Extension Plant Toolbox, Tennessee Smart Yards, Prairie Moon 2026 Cultural Guide differ)
Soil pH · “Neutral to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “4–12 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Allium cernuum var. cernuum

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

Self-seeds. Re-seeds well over time. Tennessee Smart Yards

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Nodding Onion

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Growing cautions

Sources

More Allium