Egyptian Walking Onions are a strangely beautiful plant.

Also known as the tree onion, they are perennial and are edible from bottom to top. Underground is an onion bulb, not too large but with a strong flavor. The leaves are scallions, and are among the first bits of green to appear in the spring, and the bulbils which form on top can be used as pearl onions or shallots would be.

As the plant grows, the weight of the bulbils pulls the top to the ground, and new onions will root. Thus each year it appears that the onions are ‘walking’ through your garden. I’ve grown these in both shady and sunny spots. They are very sculptural, with the ones in my sunnier garden easily reaching 4 feet tall before toppling over. While they will happily propagate themselves in spots of their own choosing, you can harvest and plant the bulbils about an inch deep or divide the underground bulbs after they’ve had a chance to multiply.