Onion
📍 MadagascarClick a numbered marker on the plant to explore each life-cycle stage — or read the key dates on the right.
Roots & seed establish first. Sow in at .
Leaves & stem drive the vegetative stage over .
Flowering falls mid-cycle between sowing () and harvest (). Keep stress low here.
Fruit/grain matures — harvest around .
Where Onion grows in Madagascar
Highlands North Zone
altitude tropical climate relatively temperate. hot and humid tropical climate (Northeast). Rain ranging from 1100 to 1900 mm / year, but up to 2.000mm / year. 3 observed seasons (rainy season with thunderstorms from November to April, rainy season from May to September drizzle, dry season from September to November. On the trays, soil ferrallitic yellow / red and red ferruginous tropical soils, soil waterlogged, soil semi-peat. vegetations made up of dense rainforest (North), dense deciduous forests (West), savannahs and steppes (center), shrublands or palm (Southwest).
Highlands Zone South
Tropical climate of altitude. 2 distinct seasons (rainy season from November to March, dry season from April to October, Existence of frosts during the dry season from June to August). Humidity decreases from east to west, temperature increases from North to South. ferrallitic yellow / red, red, volcanic soils, ferruginous tropical soils, soil slightly evolved alluvial dapport, waterlogged soils. vegetations made up of dense rainforest (East) of forest scléropylle Uapaca (West) of savoka (East), meadows and steppes of Aristida (West) of grassland Hyparrhenia (West).
Middle East Zone
tropical climate of altitude dry temperate winter and less watered. 2 distinct seasons (rainy from November to March, dry from April to October). Rain average of 1.000mm / year (distribution approx. 150 day). In plain area, valley and lowlands, waterlogged peat soils, organic and mineral, mineral soils of alluvial flows; tray area (tanety) ferrallitic heavily desaturated soils. Vegetations made up of grassland (north and center), steppes (north), swamps and dense rainforests (East and South).
North West Area
characterized by two types of climate: 1) south part subhumid climate with short rainy season (December to March), long dry season (April to November); rain 1,000 to 1,200 mm / year, average temperature 26 ° C; 2) north, sub-humid tropical climate with rainy season from November to March is characterized by heavy rainfall (1.500mm / year spread over 5 months), prevailing dry season from April to October; temperature 27 ° C. In the South, predominantly hydromorphic soils - in the center, great plains formed by soils derived from alluvial formations and marine deposits - north, floodplains areas dominated by rich baiboho soils. vegetations composed by dense deciduous forests (North), savannah grasslands Hyparrhenia, shrub or palm savannas (North and West), mangroves (coastal West part)
Zone South / South West
Tropical climate of semi-arid, dry season very strong (May to October). Rainfall average 600mm / year, uneven distribution, high concentration of rain from December to March. Average temperature 28 ° C. altitude <100m. Soils formed of recent fluvial material (silt-sandy soils, waterlogged clay limestone soils, heavy baiboho), ferruginous tropical soils with sandy rocks, soils calcimorphic, mangroves and salty soils. vegetations composed of dense deciduous forests (North), sclerophyllous forests Uapaca (Center), bush type xerophilous thickets (West, South), savannah grasslands heteeropogon (South), savannah grasslands Hyparrhenia (Center), shrublands or palm (North), savannas arbusitves (South)
Looking for another crop? Browse the full Madagascar crop calendar or the Onion guide for other countries.