Texas 1015 sweet onions; photo by Bonnie Roalsen on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution).
Official State Vegetable of Texas
The Texas sweet onion was designated the official state vegetable of Texas in 1997. All State Foods
The Lone Star State's most famous onion ("Texas 1015") is super sweet and contains very little pyruvate (tear-causing substance released during chopping). Onions are now the leading vegetable crop of Texas. Americans consumed 18.6 pounds of onions per person in 1998.
Onion Facts
Originating around Iran, onions have been cultivated for 7,000 years and have played an important part in history. Onions came to the New World with Spanish Explorers - the perfect compliment to our native corn, peppers, and tomatoes. The famed sweet onions of Texas began in 1898 with a packet of Bermuda onion seed planted near Cotulla in South Texas.
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Texas has traditionally recognized a variety of official state symbols as tangible representations of the proud spirit and heritage of our state; and
WHEREAS, The bluebonnet, the pecan tree, and the mockingbird are just a few examples of specimens that exemplify the great diversity of the Texas landscape, while the red grapefruit, our state fruit, represents yet another aspect of our shared culture; and
WHEREAS, In keeping with this custom, the designation of the Texas sweet onion as the Official State Vegetable of Texas will provide suitable recognition for this outstanding food; and
WHEREAS, The well-known 1015 variation of this onion is recognized by gourmet chefs and culinary experts from around the world for its characteristic sweetness and its inherent properties that inhibit tearing of the eyes; it has been carefully nurtured and perfected over time and is renowned for its exceptional flavor and well-documented nutritive qualities; and
WHEREAS, The Lone Star State's reputation as a global leader in the development of various varietals of vegetables is well deserved, and the creation of the 1015 onion as the first sweet onion in the world has contributed greatly to this proud legacy; and
WHEREAS, The Texas sweet onion is as distinctive as the state from which it originates and it will no doubt serve as a fitting emblem for the bounties of nature with which our state is blessed; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designate the Texas sweet onion as the Official State Vegetable of Texas and recognize the historic and cultural significance of this native herb.
