A sea of blooming alliums at Kunming Botanical Garden, Photo provided by Kunming Botanical Garden.

On April 20, the 8th Allium Exhibition opened at Kunming Botanical Garden and will run through May 24. The exhibition is held in the Global Allium Garden, a collaborative project jointly established by China and Uzbekistan, and features more than 4,500 alliums, commonly known as ornamental onions.

Central Asia is one of the major centers of origin and diversity for the genus Allium. The region is home not only to numerous wild species but also to many newly developed horticultural varieties. At Kunming Botanical Garden, visitors can admire both familiar edible alliums such as onions, garlic, chives—and over 4,500 ornamental alliums in a stunning variety of shapes and colors.

Visitors can do more than just admire the blooms. The garden is hosting science outreach activities, including “Allium Mobilization” and “The Botanical Garden in Food Time.” In collaboration with the science communicator “Plant Eye,” the garden will present livestreams, videos, and photo exhibitions to uncover the scientific secrets of allium plants, offering local residents and tourists a richer, more colorful journey through this world of purple blooms.

As part of the “Allium Mobilization” science exploration program, Kunming Botanical Garden is partnering with the Plant Multidimensional Imaging and Diversity Analysis Platform of the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Using advanced scientific equipment, participants will observe the morphological characteristics of Allium plants—from the macroscopic to the microscopic level. The program will also explain why cutting onions and garlic makes people cry, analyze the chemical compounds responsible for their distinctive odors, and explore the diversity of the genus Allium through both classic and practical examples.

Kunming Botanical Garden maintains a living collection of over 10,000 plant species, including many closely tied to the human diet, such as members of the genus Allium. How many edible “botanical treasures” are hidden in the garden? How have people consumed and used them? What cultural traditions and ethnic communities are associated with them? And how might scientific research on edible plants further enrich human life? In the “The Botanical Garden in Food Time” program, visitors can explore these questions alongside science educators and enjoy a memorable culinary-botanical experience.

This activity will take place on May 2, 2026. For registration details, readers can follow the official WeChat account of Kunming Botanical Garden. (Reporter: Zhang Xiaoyan)

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(Editors: Rachel, Flynn)