No, onions are not root plants.
Understanding Onion Structure
The provided reference clearly states that an onion is not a root or a stem. Instead, it's a tunicate bulb, a modified underground stem structure. The fleshy part we eat is actually a clump of modified leaves that store food for the plant. The roots of the onion plant are separate from this bulbous structure and grow from the bottom of the bulb.
- Bulb: The onion's bulb is the enlarged base of the stem, composed of layers of fleshy leaves.
- Leaves: These modified leaves store nutrients and are the edible part of the onion.
- Roots: The onion's roots anchor it to the ground and absorb water and nutrients; they are distinct from the bulb.
Therefore, while the onion grows underground, its edible part is not a root, but a modified stem with swollen leaves.
