2.53 meters! When people in Shandong say you are "not even as tall as a green onion", they are not kidding you.

I'll give you a riddle: It doesn't grow branches or twigs, it has white flowers on the top of its leaves, its head sleeps underground, and it has a lot of beard (guess a vegetable). Can you guess what this vegetable is?

It is the familiar seasoning in our lives - green onion !

Source: China Plant Image Database, photo by Zhu Renbin

When it comes to eating onions, we have a wealth of experience. After all, eating onions has a history of thousands of years in my country. There are related records in the "Book of Rites", for example: "For minced meat, use spring onions... Use onions for fat." Adding onions to minced meat and fat can help relieve greasiness and increase flavor. It can be seen that in ancient times, we had already done a lot of exploration and proper positioning for the consumption of onions. After generations of exploration, we have reached a high level in cooking with onions.

1

Why are onions so important?

Many people use chives in their cooking. What magical power does chives have?

First of all, the color of green onions plays a very good decorative role in some dishes . For example, sprinkle a handful of green onions on the freshly-cooked barbecue. The strong contrast of colors can make you more appetizing.

Source: pexels

Secondly, onions can remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor of meat. When hot oil collides with chopped onions, the originally spicy chopped onions undergo a complete transformation. The high temperature changes the sulfide in the onions into a new flavor substance , and the fragrance spreads in an instant. Moreover, the spicy taste of the onions themselves has a different taste.

Source: pexels

Finally, scallions can also be used as a main ingredient to shine in its own field. For example, in stir-fried beef with scallions, scallions have an excellent performance and taste, which is impressive.

Source: Baidu Encyclopedia

Now that we have introduced people's love for onions, let's talk about places famous for onions. Shandong Province is known as the "Onion Province" because of its abundant onion production, especially the onions in Zhangqiu, Shandong, which are world-famous. In 2020, the people of Zhangqiu planted a 2.532-meter-high onion king, which won the Guinness World Record. At the 2022 China Zhangqiu Onion Cultural Tourism Festival, the tallest "Onion King" was 2.44 meters high.

Source: Zhangqiu District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau

So why do Shandong green onions grow so tall? Is it because they take hormones?

2

Why do onions grow so tall?

In fact, the reason why Shandong green onions can grow so tall is first of all related to the variety. There are three commonly cultivated varieties of green onions (Allium fistulosum L.): green onions, split green onions and floor green onions . The chives mentioned above belong to the "split green onions", which are shorter plants, while the tall plants with longer pseudostems (i.e., white onions) are what we often call "green onions". In the long history of cultivation, green onions have evolved into many local varieties, such as the famous Zhangqiu green onion, which is a "tall one" with very long white onions.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

In addition, the growth habits of green onions must also be considered. Green onions prefer cool weather and cannot tolerate heat. When the temperature is high, the germination speed of green onions will be affected. Green onions have short roots and cannot penetrate deep into the ground to absorb water from the soil layer. Therefore, they are not drought-tolerant or waterlogged. Therefore, timely irrigation and drainage are required at all stages of the growth period , otherwise the growth of green onions will be affected.

It just so happens that Shandong's superior geographical conditions are suitable for the growth of green onions. Shandong is located in my country's temperate monsoon climate zone. Compared with the south, the temperature in summer is lower, while the temperature in spring and autumn is moderate, which can meet the temperature requirements of green onions during their growth and development period. Secondly, Shandong is located in the plain area formed by the alluvial deposits of the Yellow River. The soil has a fine particle size and is rich in trace elements, organic matter and minerals, so the soil is very fertile. Planting green onions here will allow them to absorb more nutrients during their growth and grow taller.

Source: Zhangqiu District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau

In addition, the plain area has sufficient water resources and will not suffer from water shortage due to drought. At the same time, the soil layer is loose and well-drained , ensuring that the soil moisture is not too high.

After reading this, have you already had some impression of green onions, especially Shandong green onions? If your Shandong friends tease you that you are not as tall as green onions, it is very likely true!