24 Appealing Onion Varieties To Know and Grow

By Carol Miller|Updated: November 08, 2023

Barolo (Enza Zaden)

‘Barolo’ is an early- to mid-season, long-day, red onion. It has an attractive dark-red interior, shiny exterior color, and globe shape. It’s strong against root diseases and adaptable to overhead, furrow, and drip irrigation. ‘Barolo’ makes a fine choice for the red onion growers’ mid-season crop. Marketing flexibility is increased by ‘Barolo’s’ three- to four-month storage window. https://www.enzazaden.com/us/products-and-services/our-products/onion/barolo

Betty (Crookham Company)

Disease package: HR: F, PR, IR: Bolting Bred by Filippo Rimi, Ph.D., ‘Betty’ is a short-day, white onion with a strong root system. It has an upright plant with an impressive disease package. ‘Betty’ can be counted upon for consistent sizing, a refined neck and an attractive bright white exterior and interior color. Region: Southwest. Matures in 155 days. https://www.crookham.com/products/us/betty

Epic (Crookham Company)

Disease package: Bolting IR: F, PR Bred by Dave Whitwood, ‘Epic’ is an early main, long-season with a dark-copper-colored scale. This long-day onion performs exceptionally well under overhead water and forms a large, jumbo bulb that stores well. It has a very high single center rate and can be used effectively for processing. ‘Epic’ has done well in adaptive trials. Matures in 110 days. https://www.crookham.com/products/us/epic

Feast (Johnny's Selected Seeds)

Disease package: DM The most downy mildew-resistant bunching onion we've found. Lovely upright, blue-green foliage makes for easier management and healthier plants. It’s easy to harvest and clean and suited to grow in a wide range of conditions. A respectable amount of white shank may be extended by hilling, also may be grown as a ‘Negi’ onion. Matures in 65 days. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/onions/bunching-onions/feast-onion-seed-4758.html

Gladstone (Bejo Seeds, Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)

Disease package: IR: PR ‘Gladstone F1’ is a long-day, white variety that produces, medium-to-large, bright-white bulbs. They grow 4 to 5 inches in diameter and resist greening. The bulbs have a very firm, mildly sweet flesh with moderate storage ability. It is well adapted. Matures in 110 days. https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/13154-onion-gladstone-f1-organic?variant=39370425172040

GVS-36291 (Golden Valley Seed)

Disease package: PR, FBR, Thrips The shape of the onion is globe to flat globe. It has a large-to-medium size, firm, solid bulb and golden brown skin. It has excellent skin retention when properly cured. In Imperial Valley trials, ‘GVS 36291’ is an early, short-day variety. It matures 30 days earlier than ‘Texas Early Grano’. Under proper conditions it can store for five to six months. Matures very early, 150 to 160 days from transplanting. GoldenValleySeed.com

Hellcat (Seminis Vegetable Seeds)

Disease package: HR: Pn, IR: FOC, Pt, T: Bolting ‘Hellcat’ is a first to market, short-day, yellow onion with great scale, quality, and color. Its superior bulb uniformity and excellent size profile delivers highly attractive medium- to jumbo-sized bulbs. Flexibility across planting dates and rapid speed to maturity offers a reliable product that is suitable for mechanical harvest. Region: Rio Grande Valley of Texas. https://www.vegetables.bayer.com/us/en-us/products/onion/details.html/onion_hellcat_usa_seminis_all_open_field_fresh_market_west.html

Hornet (Seminis Vegetable Seeds)

Disease package: HR: Pt, IR: FOC ‘Hornet’ is an early maturing, short-day, yellow variety with wide adaptability for the Rio Grande and Imperial Valley regions. A robust onion that delivers globe-shaped bulbs with exceptional uniformity, giving potential to maximize size grade and yield. It has adaptability throughout the planting window. ‘Hornet’ has shown to be a very high-yielding hybrid in trials and has low pungency, which makes it a flavorful, mild-tasting onion. Pyruvate values averaging in the 2.5 range over the last four years. A high percentage of single centers, uniform grano shape, and light-brown scale. https://www.vegetables.bayer.com/us/en-us/products/onion/details.html/onion_hornet_usa_seminis_fresh_market_open_field_fresh_market_west.html

Moonstone (Hazera Seeds)

‘Moonstone’ is a long-day, white onion. It has uniform globe-shaped, bright-white bulbs. They store well, with good shelf-life potential. A high-quality onion with vigorous and erect plant type. It remains highly productive under adverse conditions, such as soilborne diseases. Matures in 180 days. https://us.hazera.com/crops/moonstone/

Oneida (SEEDWAY, LLC)

‘Oneida’ is an early, yellow, long-day storage onion. It has a thin neck and good skin retention and has medium-to-long storage potential. High quality combined with a high-yield potential. Matures in 102 days. https://www.seedway.com/product/oneida-onion-treated-seed/

Overlook (Seminis Vegetable Seeds | Stokes Seeds Inc.)

Disease package: HR: St, IR: FOC ‘Overlook’ is an excellent storage onion. It has high-yield potential, excellent skin quality, and long storage. Region: Northeast. Matures in 105 days. https://us.stokeseeds.com/hybridonion-overlook-0670219mt.html

Red Marley (Seminis Vegetable Seeds | Stokes Seeds Inc.)

Disease package: IR: FOC, Pt ‘Red Marley’ produces a large, round bulb with a small neck and medium-red skin color. It has good internal color and medium-term storage potential. Regions: Northeast and Canada. Matures in 100 days. https://us.stokeseeds.com/hybridonion-redmarley-0670227.html

Red Warrior (Seeds by Design)

‘Red Warrior’ has long, slender, white stems and small, red bulbs. The flavor is mild. A fresh market favorite! Region: all U.S. Matures in 60 days. SeedsbyDesign.com

Ridgeline (Takii & Company, Ltd. | Gowan Seed Company)

Disease package: IR: Foc, St ‘Ridgeline’ is a long-day, semi-Spanish type capable of producing jumbo-sized bulbs with good roots. This hybrid is firm and has brown scales. Slow to bolt. Matures in 107 days. https://www.takii.com/product/ridgeline/

ROSSA DI MILANO (Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

Disease package: Thrips resistance ‘Rossa di Milano’ is a full-size, long-day onion. Bulbs are large to colossal in size and exhibit the true grano shape with distinctly flattened tops. Suited for long storage (six-plus months) with thin necks that easily dry down. It has strong, bronze-pink skins and great uniformity. Selected by Dr. John Navazio for early maturity and thrips resistance. It matures up to 10 days earlier than other ‘Rossa di Milano’ strains and shows reliable performance in organic growing conditions. Region: Northern reaches of the intermediate-day region. Adaptation: 38 to 50 degrees latitude. Matures in 100 days. https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/onions/full-size-onions/rossa-di-milano-organic-onion-seed-3454G.html

S7210 (BASF Vegetable Seeds/Nunhems)

The ‘S7210’ Tearless Sweet Onion variety (‘Sunions’) enables domestic growers to produce a long-day onion that is both tearless and sweet. It is available during winter marketing months. Growers will have the option of marketing the variety under the ‘Sunions’ name or under their own brand. A consumer marketing survey found that the ‘S7210’ produced less burning sensation, tearing, nose running, throat irritation, and overall irritation than other sweet onions. Consumers preferred the ‘S7210’ five-to-one over competitor onions. Matures in 105 days. https://iheartsunions.com/

Stuttgarter (Terra Organics)

‘Stuttgarter’ has slightly flat globes with bronze skin and white flesh. Best tasting onion with a mild and sweet flavor. Perfect for the fresh market. Region: All U.S. Matures in 80 to 100 days. SeedsbyDesign.com

SV4643NT (Seminis Vegetable Seeds | Rupp Seeds)

‘SV4643NT’ is a bold, red-colored variety with excellent yield potential. It has both superb interior and exterior color and stores very well. Regions: U.S. and Canada. Matures in 112 days. https://www.ruppseeds.com/vegetables/products/onions/bulb/sv4643nt

Switchback (Takii & Company, Ltd.)

‘Switchback’ is an early, long-day, yellow Northeastern hybrid. The bulbs are globe shaped with excellent uniformity. ‘Switchback’ is good for transplanting as well as direct seeding. The skin color is dark with outstanding retention and thickness. It attains size while maintaining an excellent shape. It is best suited for fresh and mid-storage markets. Regions: New York, Canada, Michigan, and the Northeast, long-day areas. Matures in 90 to 95 days. https://www.takii.com/vegetables/

Tannat (Enza Zaden | Gowan Seed Company)

Disease package: IR: Foc, St ‘Tannat’ is a dark-red, medium- to late-maturing, long-day hybrid with excellent exterior and interior color. The tops are large, giving ‘Tannat’ the opportunity to make larger, red bulbs. The root system is vigorous with good disease resistance. Expected storage is four to eight months. Matures in 115 days. https://www.enzazaden.com/us/products-and-services/our-products/onion/Tannat

Thunderstone (Hazera Seeds)

Disease package: Pt ‘Thunderstone’ is an early maturing, yellow, long-day onion with excellent yield potential. These high- quality, globe-round bulbs make for long storage (six months). The erect, vigorous tops make this variety suitable for adverse weather conditions and overhead, furrow, or drip irrigation. ‘Thunderstone’ has dark skin with strong skin retention. Matures in 108 to 112 days. https://us.hazera.com/crops/thunderstone/

Traverse (Takii & Company, Ltd.)

Disease package: HR: Foc, PR; IR: FOC ‘Traverse’ is a yellow, long-day onion. It has the potential to produce jumbo bulbs and has excellent skin. ‘Traverse’ is good for fresh and storage markets. Regions: Pacific Northwest, Western California, Colorado, Northeast U.S., and Southeast Canada. Matures in 101 to 105 days. https://www.takii.com/product/hybrid-onion-traverse/

Trident (Crookham Company | Harris Seeds / Garden Trends Inc.)

Disease package: HR: FOC, PR A widely adaptable, long-day onion with consistent large-to-jumbo bulbs. ‘Trident F1’ has high, single centers and a deep-bronze color. Great for storage and mechanical harvest (with small necks), and it has a durable outer scale. Matures in 115 days. https://www.harrisseeds.com/products/13264-onion-trident-f1?variant=39639419715656

Warrior (Seeds by Design)

‘Warrior’ is a 2016 AAS Regional Winner. It features uniform, slender, crisp onion stalks. ‘Warrior’ is adaptable throughout the U.S. and a fresh market favorite! Matures early. https://www.seedsbydesign.com/seed/Onion-Bunching-Warrior

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Disease Code Key

FBR: Fusarium basal rot

Foc: Fusarium

HR: High resistance

IR: Intermediate resistance

Pt: Pink root caused by Phoma terrestris (syn. Pyrenochaeta terrestris)

T: Tolerance