White Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) vs Nodding Onion - TreeTime.ca

White Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) vs Nodding Onion

Allium cernuum

Rhododendron x White Lights

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Nodding Onion
White Lights Rhododendron (Azalea)

Nodding Onion is a native perennial wildflower known for its nodding clusters of flowers that range in color from white to pink to purple. The lightly scented blooms provide pollen and nectar for pollinators, especially bees, which can collect while hanging upside down, a capability most other insects lack.

The narrow, grass-like leaves of the Nodding Onion can be used as a seasoning in cooked dishes, though bulbs and raw leaves should not be eaten in large quantities. All parts of the plant have an onion-like aroma when bruised, which helps deter deer and rabbits. They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Tolerant of a range of soils, including alkaline, it is well-suited for a variety of plantings, including pollinator gardens and naturalization projects.

White Lights Rhododendron is part of the Northern Lights Series, cold hardy, and deciduous. In late spring you'll be drawn to its fragrant white blooms. In fall, the foliage turns a beautiful purple-bronze color. Pruning is recommended after the flowers are spent to control the size and shape of this shrub.

White Lights Rhododendron should be your next hedge/screen, or plant it on its own as a specimen plant.

Nodding Onion Quick Facts

White Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.5 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: raw leaves and bulbs can be midly toxic

Toxicity: All parts of a rhododendron bush, including the leaves, stems and blooms, are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Foliage: smells of onion when crushed, edible
Flowers: white, pink, or purple nodding clusters
Flowers: white with pink blush
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, ON
Other Names: ladys leek, nodding wild onion