Onion Weed- a weed (*Asphodelus fistulosus)

Other names: Asphodel.

Family: Asphodelaceae (Asphodel family), formerly included in the Lily family.

Native of southern Europe, western Asia and India.

Occurrence: A widespread and common weed of the dry inland, with some records from southern Victoria. Onion Weed may cover large areas and is abundant along roadsides in northern Victoria and western N.S.W.

Identification:

• it has hollow, onion-like leaves
• the roots are bright yellow
• the flowers are pale pink with a reddish -brown central streak
• the flowers are on short stalks, growing singly from a short leaf base (i.e. singly from each bract).

Onion Weed is a noxious weed in and listed as Restricted in central Victoia.. The name fistulosus refers to the hollow, onion-like leaves. It is likely to become more common in central Victoria as a result of a warmer climate.