You’ve heard of ‘Spanish Onions’, well this is a ‘South African Onion’. I took this picture some time ago at Stonecrop Gardens, and although I posted a number of pictures I didn’t post this one. I have a vague memory that this was because I couldn’t remember what the small sign on it had said and I didn’t want to post it without having this information.

I was back at Stonecrop with some friends about two weeks ago and this time I remembered to take a picture of the sign. It reads:

Boweia volubilis, otherwise known as the Climbing Onion, is a curiosity from South Africa. This unusual bulb is a member of the Lily family and will produce green and white flowers later in the Spring.

For more information see: Bowiea Sea Onion Info: Tips For Growing Climbing Onion Plants

So it’s not even an onion, and I’m guessing that it’s decorative rather than edible.

Taken with a Sony NEX 5N and Carl Zeiss Jena, 50mm f2 Biotar.