Green Onion | Description, Species, Uses, & Facts | Britannica

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External Websites

• USDA - Agricultural Marketing Service - Common Green Onions (PDF)
• Purdue University Extension - FoodLink - Onion, green onion, scallion
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Dietary Administration of Scallion Extract Effectively Inhibits Colorectal Tumor Growth: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in Mice
• UC Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security - Green Onions (PDF)
• Frontiers - Frontiers in Plant Science - The Spectral Irradiance, Growth, Photosynthetic Characteristics, Antioxidant System, and Nutritional Status of Green Onion (Allium fistulosum L.) Grown Under Different Photo-Selective Nets
• AUSVEG - Growing spring onions
• University of California - Western Institute for Food Safety and Security - Green Onion
• WebMD - Scallions
• DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Growing Scallions (Green Onions) for Market Gardeners
• US AID - Development Experience Clearinghouse - Development Experience Clearinghouse - Green Onions
• University of Minnesota Extension - Growing scallions in home gardens
• Verywell Fit - Green Onion Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
• University of California - Agriculture and Natural Resources - Green Onion Production in California
• The Spruce Eats - What Are Scallions?
• University of Arkansas System - Division of Agriculture Research and Extension - Green Onions or Scallions-Are They The Same Thing

green onion plant Ask Anything Homework Help Also known as: scallion, spring onion Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Jan. 23, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

green onion, young onions (family Amaryllidaceae) harvested when their tops are green and the underdeveloped bulbs are 13 mm (0.5 inch) or less in diameter. Many commercial green onions are immature plants of the common onion (Allium cepa), but the Chinese onion (A. chinense) and the Welsh onion (A. fistulosum), both from Asia, and hybrids of A. cepa and A. fistulosum are also common. Their flavour is mild, and nearly the entire onion, including the hollow tubular tops, stem, and bulb, is used raw in salads and sauces, as a garnish, and as a seasoning for prepared dishes; green onions also can be pickled.

Also called: scallion (Show more) Related Topics: onion vegetable (Show more) See all related content

Green onions are closely related to chives (A. schoenoprasum), leeks (A. porrum), shallots (A. cepa, variety aggregatum), and garlic (A. sativum).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.