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Is there a difference between leeks and leeks? And are onions and shallots the same thing? We answer your questions about the different bulbous plants.
The large family of onion plants (Allioideae), also known as leeks, can be a bit confusing. If then several dozen synonyms for one and the same onion come into play, you quickly lose the overview. With a few simple tricks, onions, leeks & Co can be easily distinguished from each other.
1. Are leeks and leeks the same?
Leek or leek (Allium porrum) means one and the same plant. For a long time, only the term "leek" was common in German-speaking countries. The term "leek" was only used in German-speaking Switzerland and in parts of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland. Since the 1970s, however, the name "Lauch" has become more and more popular throughout the German-speaking world, and today both names are used commercially.
Although both belong to the Allioideae family, it is easy to tell the difference between leeks and onions (Allium cepa). Whether you say leeks or leeks at home, what is meant is a green onion-like vegetable that does not form a thickened bulb, but has characteristic flat and long leaves. They are white below and turn dark green towards the top.
Onions are the only leeks that form an underground storage tuber. This and all known onions are white with a brown skin. The leaves are tubular and also green. While we mainly eat the subterranean part of the onion, the entire plant is used with the leek.
Differences between leeks and onions:
| Leek | Onion |
|---|---|
| No thickened onion | Typical thickened onion |
| Stores energy in the leaves | Underground Storage Organ |
| Flat Leaves | Tubular Leaves |
| Whole plant is used in the kitchen | Usually only the onion is used |
3. Is there a difference between onions and spring onions?
The spring onion (Allium fistulosum) and the normal onion are two different plants. Although the rumor persists that spring onions are simply onions that have been harvested too early, this is not true. The spring onion, also called spring onion or winter onion, is not able to form a rounded, thickened onion. It only carries a cylindrical, thickened shaft. In the case of the spring onion, the entire plant can also be eaten.
Typical characteristics of spring onions:
- Thinner and smaller than onions
- Mild taste
- No rounded, thickened bulb, but cylindrical thickened shaft
Another well-known member of the leek family is the shallot (Allium cepa var. aggregatum). Shallots are very similar to onions and are not a separate species in the allium family. The plant, which comes from Asia, is characterized by a milder taste than normal onions. Other distinguishing features of the shallot are its pink skin, its typical elongated shape and the fact that these bulbs often grow as twins.
How do I tell shallots from onions? Characteristics of shallots:
- Milder taste than onions
- Pink Shell
- Long shape
- Often in two parts
When we talk about onion plants, one thing cannot be missing: Garlic (Allium sativum). You can read all about the aromatic plant in our expert article on garlic.