Copra

Family: Amaryllidaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Copra to a garden.

Copra yellow onions open with a bright, honeyed aroma and a crisp, juicy bite that turns sweet and mellow when warmed.

The bulbs form a handsome, uniform globe with warm golden skins and tight, fine-textured layers—ideal for everyday use in fresh salads, savory roasts, and slow-simmered sauces, as well as classic pickling for tangy crunch.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 100 DaysHabit: Bulbing

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Copra Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2b	Mar 6th	May 1st	Aug 9th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 6th	May 1st	Aug 9th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 10th	May 5th	Aug 13th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 6th	May 1st	Aug 9th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 4th	Apr 29th	Aug 7th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Feb 27th	Apr 24th	Aug 2nd – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Feb 23rd	Apr 20th	Jul 29th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Feb 20th	Apr 17th	Jul 26th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 14th	Apr 11th	Jul 20th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 9th	Apr 6th	Jul 15th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Jan 30th	Mar 27th	Jul 5th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Jan 21st	Mar 18th	Jun 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 12th	Mar 9th	Jun 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Dec 26th	Feb 20th	May 31st – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 1st	Jan 26th	May 6th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 9th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	100
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bulbing
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	45
Min Night Temp (°F)	28
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Copra yellow onions hit with a honeyed nose and a crisp, juicy bite, so they show up best when you want allium flavor without mush. Warm them and the sharpness sweats into sweetness—then they turn creamy and cohesive, ideal for sauces, roasting, or vinegar-bright pickles.

Best Uses

thin slices for fresh salads where they keep their crunch
caramelizing or roasting until syrupy and jammy
slow-simmered sauces and braises where they dissolve into silk
classic pickling for tangy, snappy rings

Flavor Profile

bright honeyed aroma crisp, juicy snap with a clean allium edge sweet and mellow when warmed

Kitchen Pairings

butter thyme black pepper white wine aged cheddar beef stock

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease is most common on Allium cepa (onions), and how do I treat it at home?

Onions (Allium cepa) are commonly hit by onion maggots and, in humid conditions, downy mildew. To reduce onion maggots, cover seedbeds/transplants with fine insect netting and remove any infested plants immediately; use a soil drench with labeled products if available in your area. For downy mildew, improve airflow and avoid wetting the foliage, then apply a copper-based fungicide early at the first purple/gray downy patches, following the label exactly.

How often should I water Allium cepa during the main growing phase?

During active bulbing (after plants are established and tops are growing), keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy—aim for about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week, adjusted for rainfall and heat. Water deeply so moisture reaches the root zone, and let the top 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of soil dry slightly between waterings to prevent rot and disease.

How can I tell when Allium cepa is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the onion tops begin to fall over naturally and the necks start to dry down, usually around your ~100-day maturity window. Lift a few bulbs to check: skins should be papery and the outer layer fully colored, with firm bulbs and tight necks before curing.