Tree onions

[Right Shed Fred]

I have a bed of egyptian walking onions, which I harvest for the stems, little bulblets, and at some point the larger bottom onion.
I happened across something called a tree onion, whilst passing a nursery on a walk yesterday and the top bulblet looked totally different to mine. Mine look just like what you see if you google 'egyptian walking onion' -purple skinned and small. This other tree onion had a brown skinned bulblet which was much bigger - about the size of a silverskin pickled onion, and it was a bit more of a squat shape.

Can anyone tell me whether I saw an abnormal walking onion or whether this might be a potentially superior type of bigger bulblet tree onion?

I think I might need to retrace my steps to this nursery and get me one...

[Shortie]

OOohhhhh... I had always thought that Egyptian Walking onions and tree onions were the same thing and they were like you have - small purple bulbs.

I'd be interested to hear the answer on this one

[MelanieSW]

They are the same thing, but there are a number of different varieties of walking onions. It could have just been that? Some red, some more green, different sizes. I've just ordered a variety pack that included Catawissa, Moritz, McCullar's and Amish.

[Right Shed Fred]

Yes, that is quite possible - I'm off to google all those varieties you just mentioned - I need to get hold of some different varieties I didn't even know existed! Yey.

[MelanieSW]

Yes, that is quite possible - I'm off to google all those varieties you just mentioned - I need to get hold of some different varieties I didn't even know existed! Yey.

Check out the onion man on ebay (based in Scotland), he also has potato onions which are a rare find in the UK

[Right Shed Fred]

[QUOTE=MelanieSW;n2502881 I've just ordered a variety pack that included Catawissa, Moritz, McCullar's and Amish.[/QUOTE]

Where have you ordered them from if you don't mind me asking?(!)

[MelanieSW]

Where have you ordered them from if you don't mind me asking?(!)

The onion man on eBay. Great selection, grown in Scotland

[Bren In Pots]

Mine have the small purple bulbs but they're very fiddly to peel so i don't really use them as much as I should.

[Shortie]

Mine too Bren. I grew them as a novelty but am not sure how I would use them as they are tiny

[Right Shed Fred]

I use the tiny purple onions in Asian style noodle soups. But yes, they're a bit small and fiddly for anything where you can't just chuck them in. Thanks for the supplier tip!

[Bren In Pots]

I did a bit of checking and it says to drop the bulbs in boiling water for 2 mins then plunge into cold water and it’s supposed to make them easier to peel.