Walking Onions – Red Catawissa

Type: Heirloom, Perennial, Top-Setting Onion
Growth Habit: Hardy Perennial / Multiplier
Planting Stock: Topsets, Mature Bulbs & Live Rooted Plants

Red Catawissa Walking Onion is a hardy heirloom perennial onion prized for its distinctive reddish-purple topsets and its unusual ability to “walk” across the garden. Also known as an Egyptian Walking Onion or Tree Onion, this old-fashioned variety produces clusters of small aerial bulbs, called topsets, at the ends of tall stalks.

As the topsets mature and become heavy, the stalks naturally bend toward the ground. The topsets can then take root and establish new plants, allowing a patch of walking onions to gradually spread through the garden.

Once established, Red Catawissa Walking Onions can return year after year and multiply with very little maintenance. Plants emerge early in spring, producing flavorful green onion tops that can be harvested much like scallions. Underground bulbs develop in clusters with a strong, traditional onion flavor, while the small aerial topsets can also be eaten or replanted to expand your patch.

Red Catawissa is an excellent choice for perennial vegetable gardens, homesteads, edible landscapes, and gardeners interested in growing a dependable perennial food crop.

🌱 Growing Information

How to Grow Red Catawissa Walking Onions

Planting: Plant bulbs or topsets approximately 1–2 inches deep with the tip near or just above the soil surface. Space plants about 6–8 inches apart in well-drained soil.

Sun: Full sun to partial sun
Spacing: 6–8 inches
Planting Depth: 1–2 inches
Harvest: Green tops in spring; bulbs and topsets in summer
Life Cycle: Perennial
Pollination: Open-Pollinated / Heirloom

Why Grow Red Catawissa Walking Onions?

• Hardy perennial that returns year after year
• Naturally multiplies and spreads
• Produces edible green tops, underground bulbs, and topsets
• Excellent for perennial and survival gardens
• Cold hardy and easy to grow
• Unique reddish-purple aerial bulb clusters
• An old-fashioned heirloom worth preserving

Start your patch today and, with time, it can develop into a productive perennial onion planting that keeps giving year after year.

Please Note: Walking onions naturally vary in size. Topsets and bulbs may differ in size and appearance depending on their stage of growth and the time of year.

Availability Note: We grow Red Catawissa Walking Onions year-round. Topsets, mature bulbs, and live rooted plants are offered as they become available. Check back often for current availability.