There are many cultivars of these species loosely referred to as "bunching onions", with the majority being short lived here but being truly perennial multipliers in colder climates. It has taken me about a year to decide that "Eliska's Bunching Onion" that she grows in St. Pete and got originally as loose bulbs in a bin at Ace Hardware, IS different from my strain that came from seeds here (I'll never know WHICH as I was trialing a few varieties that year and an intense rain storm splashed dirt and seeds from adjoining trays into each other). Eliska's is far more petite than mine, has VERY mild flavor, and the bloom is maybe the size of a small peach. My strain is very robust, can be taller/thicker than a leek, has very strong flavor (which I prefer) and the bloom can easily be the size of a grapefruit...its seeds are very viable. Eliska is going test germinate seeds from hers to see if viable as she never gets volunteer seedling, though I don't either. Both are truly perennial (those I've sold and shared years ago still thrive for folks and set oodles of seeds) and both divide and multiply at the base. She and I are both making conscious efforts to get both out there into people's gardens since perennial onions are very uncommon here.