Cipollini Onion

Allium cepa 'Cipollini'

vegetable

Small flat Italian onions with a distinctively sweet, low-acid flavor that makes them ideal for roasting whole, pickling, and caramelizing. The name means little onions in Italian. Unlike many onions that turn sharp and pungent when raw, cipollini remain mild and sweet. Beautiful in agrodolce (sweet-and-sour) preparations and roasted alongside meats.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Carrot — Onion scent deters carrot rust fly; carrot scent deters onion fly
• Lettuce — Efficient companion for bed space; harvested before cipollini need full room
• Strawberry — Onion deters slugs and certain pests near strawberry plants
• Tomato — Aromatic deterrence of aphids in nearby tomato beds

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Onion maggot →

  Row cover from planting; avoid fresh manure; rotate annually

• Thrips →

  Reflective mulch; spinosad spray at severe infestation

• Downy mildew →

  Well-draining soil; avoid overhead watering; copper spray preventively

• Botrytis neck rot →

  Thorough curing before storage; remove any soft bulbs from storage immediately

🌾 Harvest & storage

Harvest when tops fall naturally, typically 100 days from planting. Cipollini are smaller at harvest than storage onions — expect 1 to 2-inch diameter flat bulbs. Cure in a warm dry place for 2 to 3 weeks. Store in a cool dry location. Shorter storage life than large yellow onions — plan to use within 2 to 3 months. Best flavor when cooked.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Good source of quercetin (particularly high in this onion type), vitamin C, B6, and potassium. Lower sulfur content than yellow onions contributes to milder flavor. Quercetin has documented anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties.