Allium fistulosum 'Photon' (Spring onion 'Photon')

Botanical name

Allium fistulosum 'Photon'

Other names

Spring onion 'Photon', Salad onion 'Photon', Allium cepa 'Photon', Bunching onion 'Photon'

Genus

Allium Allium

Variety or Cultivar

'Photon' _ 'Photon' is a bulbous perennial cultivated as a vegetable with edible, upright, strap-like, dark grey-green leaves and small, edible, white bulbs ready for harvest approximately 6-8 weeks after sowing.

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Upright

Awards

RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

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Colour

Foliage

Grey-green in Spring; Grey-green in Summer; Grey-green in Autumn

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How to care

Watch out for

Specific pests

Eelworm (stem and bulb) , Leek moth , Onion fly

Diseases

Good tolerance to mildew.

Specific diseases

Bolting , Bull neck , Neck rot , Rust , Saddleback , Shanking , Smut , White rot , White tip

General care

Pruning

Break off any flower heads that appear. Harvest as desired.

Propagation

Plant seeds 10cm apart in rows 30cm apart. Plant in spring for a summer/late autumn harvest or in autumn for a spring harvest. Thin out weak seedlings.

Propagation methods

Seed, Sets

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Monthly care advice

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Where to grow

Allium fistulosum 'Photon' (Spring onion 'Photon') will reach a height of 0.3m and a spread of 0.1m after 1-2 years.

Suggested uses

Add to salads, Beds and borders, Flavouring food and drinks

Cultivation

Water in dry periods. Stop watering when onions are swollen. Best to rotate site annually.

Soil type

Loamy, Sandy

Soil drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Alkaline, Neutral

Light

Full Sun

Aspect

South, West

Exposure

Sheltered

UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.

Tender in frost (H3)

Defra's Risk register #1

Plant name

Allium fistulosum 'Photon' (Spring onion 'Photon')

Common pest name

Asain cotton leafworm; Cluster caterpillar; Fall armyworm; Rice cutworm; Taro caterpiller; Tobacco budworm; Tobacco caterpillar; Tobacco cutworm; Tobacco leaf caterpillar

Scientific pest name

Spodoptera litura

Type

Insect

Current status in UK

Absent

Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

3

Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

3

General biosecurity comments

Regulated pest; frequently intercepted with occasional outbreaks which have been successfully eradicated in the UK.

Defra's Risk register #2

Plant name

Allium fistulosum 'Photon' (Spring onion 'Photon')

Common pest name

allium leaf miner

Scientific pest name

Phytomyza gymnostoma

Type

Insect

Current status in UK

Present (Limited)

Likelihood to spread in UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

3

Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

3

General biosecurity comments

Pest of Allium already present in UK and spreading; previous consultation supported awareness raising only; industry should prepare for the event of findings in commercial crops.

Defra's Risk register #3

Plant name

Allium fistulosum 'Photon' (Spring onion 'Photon')

Common pest name

Sugarbeet webworm; Weevil; Australian tomato; Weevil; vegetable

Scientific pest name

Listroderes costirostris

Type

Insect

Current status in UK

Absent

Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

2

Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)

3

General biosecurity comments

Awareness needs to be maintained due to the risk of entry as a 'hitchhiker' and monitoring of the pest in countries where it is known to be present.

About this section

Our plants are under greater threat than ever before. There is increasing movement of plants and other material traded from an increasing variety of sources. This increases the chances of exotic pests arriving with imported goods and travellers, as well as by natural means. Shoot is working with Defra to help members to do their part in preventing the introduction and spread of invasive risks.

Traveling or importing plants? Please read "Don't risk it" advice here

Suspected outbreak? Click here for contact details to report to the relevant authority.

Date updated: 7^th March 2019 For more information visit: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/