Varieties of Large Onions

Walla Walla

• Walla Walla sweet onions are a large variety of yellow, dry onion that grows in Walla Walla, Washington and Milton-Freewater, Oregon since 1900. Brought to the Walla Walla Valley by a French solider named Peter Pieri, this onion originally came from the Island of Corsica off the west coast of Italy. Growers of this sweet onion begin planting transplants in the fall so the bulbs have a chance to over winter before spring arrives. Harvest time starts in June and lasts for a period of six to eight weeks. This long day species of onion has a mild, sweet flavor and aroma.

Early Texas Grano 502

• Early Texas Grano 502 is a hybrid large bulb onion developed by Texas A&M University in a breeding program from 1933 until 1942. Texas onion growers imported the original Grano seed from Spain in 1925 to produce onion varieties better suited for the Texas climate. This short-day, dry, sweet onion matures early and has the ability for immature harvest as green onions. Early Texas Grano 502 is a yellow sweet onion with a huge, broad bulb and a mild delicious taste.

Vidalia

• Vidalia are a type of large transplant onion with a yellow skin that became the official state vegetable to Georgia in 1990. This variety of sweet onion started out as a Texas bred Granex onion grown in Toombs County, Georgia by Moses Coleman. Coleman discovered that his onion crop was sweet instead of hot because of the lack of sulfur in the soil. This phenomenon created a completely new market for onions in Georgia. Vidalia sweet onions are a mildly sweet vegetable.

Southport Red Globe

• Southport Red Globe is a variety of dry red onion with a large rounded formation. This type of onion originated in Southport, Connecticut in 1873. The skin is a deep red hue with a glossy clear skin. The pink tinted flesh of the Southport red globe has a mild taste and a pungent smell. This long day onion forms from a bulb in 95 to 120 days once planted during spring for fall harvest.