Description

Allium cepa is the common onion. Although it is usually thought of as a vegetable, A. cepa also has a long history of medicinal use.

Onions are perennials that are cultivated for food worldwide. There are many varieties. Most onion bulbs are white, yellow, or red. The green stems and leaves are hollow and can reach 3 ft (1 m) in height. The plants bear small flowers that are usually white or purple. The fleshy bulb that grows below the ground is used medicinally as well as for food. Onions are members of the lily family.

General use

Onion has been used as a food source for almost as long as humans have been keeping written records. Their usefulness has been discovered independently by many cultures on several continents. Onions are mentioned in ancient Egyptian

writings and were known in ancient Greece. In medieval Europe, they were used unsuccessfully to ward off...