Customer Service Hours
Mon-Fri 8-4 MST
Features
Family
Alliaceae
Native
Exists only in cultivation
Life Cycle
Annual
Plant Height
Thick 2" to 6" long torpedo-shaped bulbs
Further Information
Growing Conditions
Frost Tolerant
About Zebrune Shallot Onion Seeds
Allium cepa
Thick, 2"–6" long, torpedo-shaped bulbs with a copper-colored wrapper and cream-colored interior. 'Zebrune' is also called Cuisse de Poulet de Poitou.
Planting Onion
Days to Maturity
100 days from transplanting
Plant Spacing
A group of 2 seeds every 4"
Light Required
Full sun
Plant Height
Thick 2" to 6" long torpedo-shaped bulbs
Planting Depth
¼"
Coverage & Planting Details
| Coverage | This packet sows up to 9 feet. |
|---|---|
| Row Spacing | 12"–16" |
| Seed Depth | ¼" |
| Seed Spacing | A group of 2 seeds every 4" |
| Thinning | When 2" tall, thin to 1 every 4" |
| Germination | 7–15 days |
| Start Indoors | RECOMMENDED. 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date. Transplant outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. The earlier the start, the bigger the bulb. Ideal soil temperature is 60°–85°F. |
| Direct Sow | 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, or as soon as soil can be worked; when soil temperature is at least 45°F. |
| Growing & Harvesting | Shallot bulbs can be harvested at any desirable size. To harvest large bulbs at full maturity, wait until tops have fallen over and turned yellow or brown, they are ready for harvest. Harvest in the morning, lifting the bulbs with a garden fork. Dry them in the garden in the sun for 2 to 3 days, lightly covering the bulbs with straw, or the tops of other onions to prevent sunscald. Cure them for 3 to 7 days in a dry area with good air circulation. Once dry, cut the roots to 1/4", and the greens to 1" to create a seal, preventing decay. |
Find Your Frost Date & Grow Zone
Average First Frost Date
October 19
Average Last Frost Date
May 19
Your Hardiness Zone is
5b
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Rating
Which best describes you as a gardener?
32 reviews
- Matt B.Verified BuyerRated 3 out of 5 stars10/5/26Excellent Seed Quality — But Critical Day-Length Information Is Missing
I have mixed feelings about Zebrune shallots because the seed itself has performed exceptionally well. Germination was excellent, the seedlings handled transplanting very well, and the plants have produced attractive, vigorous, genuinely delicious greens. From a seed-quality standpoint, I have no complaints.
My frustration is with the product information. Shallots are day-length sensitive, and Zebrune is suited to long-day growing conditions. That is an extremely important limitation for gardeners in southern regions, yet I could not find any clear day-length or latitude guidance on the Botanical Interests product page.
I garden in San Antonio, Texas, and I planned growing space around this crop, started the seeds months in advance, nurtured the seedlings, hardened them off, and carried them through multiple stages before discovering that my latitude is poorly suited to producing the mature shallot bulbs I was growing them for. At this point, I may ultimately have very nice pencil-thin greens instead of the bulb crop I expected.
Botanical Interests does an excellent job making gardening approachable, which is exactly why this information belongs prominently on the packet and product page. A simple statement such as “Long-day shallot; best adapted to northern latitudes”, along with an approximate suitable latitude range, would allow customers to make an informed decision before investing months of time and valuable garden space.
Great germination, strong plants, beautiful…
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/6/26Hey Matt,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We really appreciate you sharing what worked well and where you feel we could improve.
Your feedback is valuable to us, especially when it comes to making sure our product information is clear and helpful for gardeners.
We’ll be sure to pass your feedback along to our team for consideration. Thank you again for taking the time to help us understand how we can do better.
Thanks for being part of our growing community, and keep on growing! 🌻
- Samantha R.UT, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/1/26Germination rate is great!
So far, so good 😊
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateWho do you grow for? FamiliesHow do you prefer to grow? Raised Bed - Brandy J.PA, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars5/6/26Poor Germination
Purchased these for this season. <10% germination. Very disappointing outcome. Outer seeds purchase did very well.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateWho do you grow for? Community GardenHow do you prefer to grow? In GroundBIBotanical Interests5/7/26Hey Brandy,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- Kevin S.Verified BuyerRated 4 out of 5 stars3/31/26Have not been in the ground yet
I’ve got seedling. Great germination but it’s going to be a while until they get in the ground outside.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests4/4/26Hey Kevin,
Thank you so much for the 4-star review! It's fantastic to hear that you're getting great germination from your Zebrune Shallot seeds - that's always such an encouraging start to the growing journey. We totally understand that timing is everything when it comes to getting seedlings outdoors, especially with the weather and seasons. Your little shallots will be worth the wait once they're ready to transplant! Keep on growing 🌻
- Katherine A.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars3/25/26Good results
I had great germination and decent sized shallots by summer. Last season was my first time trying shallots from seed, and they were a lot easier than I thought. They just didn’t store very long, but that may also be because I’m new to curing them. A few that got left behind lasted through the winter-I’m in zone 7a, and we got down to single digits for a week. I’ve bought these again to grow this year!
Which best describes you as a gardener? Intermediate