Sweet onion

A sweet onion is a variety of onion that is not pungent. Their mildness is attributable to their low sulfur content and high water content when compared to other onion varieties.

Origins in the United States

United States sweet onions originated in several places during the early twentieth century.

Vidalia onions were first grown near Vidalia, Georgia in the early 1930s. Today the name refers to onions grown in a 20-county production region in the state of Georgia as defined by both Georgia state and federal law (CFR).

South Texas also acquired what is known as the 1015 onion in the early 1980s by Dr. Leonard Pike, a horticulture professor at Texas A&M University, Texas. 1015 Onions are actually named for their optimum planting date, October 15. Grown only in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, this large, prized onion was developed after ten long years of extensive research, endless testing and a million dollars in cost. As a result, Texas achieved a mild, exceptionally sweet onion that lives up to its nickname - the "Million Dollar Baby". Onions are Texas' leading vegetable crop. The state produces mostly sweet yellow varieties. The sweet onion was adopted as Texas' official state onion in 1997.