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varieties grown in new zealand

Brown Onions
These are the most commonly available onions and are in the shops all year round. They are strongly flavoured, firm onions with layers of golden brown paper skins and white flesh. Generally used for cooking rather than raw. The most common varieties are Pukekohe Long Keeper and Pukekohe Early Long Keeper. As the name suggests, these store particularly well.

Red Onions
These are easily recognised by their burgundy red skins and red tinged flesh. Spanish type red onions are large and round, while Californian red onions tend to be flatter and milder. The flavour is mild, sweet and juicy and they are delicious eaten raw in salads or sandwiches and as an attractive garnish. Globe shaped red onions which are normally more pungent and taste more like a main crop onion, are also becoming available. Most readily available January - August.

Sweet Mild Onions
These look similar to main crop onions but with lighter golden skins. They are generally larger and flatter with a milder flavour which makes them suitable to use raw. Sweet mild onions are significantly softer than main crop onions and some consumers mistakenly think that this softness indicates inferior quality. They are available in very limited quantities all year round, although the local season is December until May.

Pickling Onions
These are simply small brown onions. They have a strong pungent flavour. Available all year round, but at their best for pickling about March.

White Onions
White onions have a dry papery skin and perfectly white flesh, with a sharp medium flavour. They are generally available as mature, round and orange sized. Suitable for a range of end uses including raw and pickles. They are available in limited quantities with some of the supply being imported.

Did you know...

In the 1920's John Turbot, a Pukekohe grower produced a crop of onions using two imported seed lines: the brown Spanish (or Australian brown) and the straw Spanish. When they were mature he took a selection from the straw Spanish crop and sold his first seeds to fellow growers in 1929 which became the well-known, 'Pukekohe Longkeeper'.