I’m so glad you asked this! Standing in the produce section, it’s easy to wonder whether all those long, green onion-like vegetables are actually different—or just different names for the same thing.

The truth is that the terminology varies by country and even by grocery store, which is why there’s so much confusion.

Let’s clear it up!

The Quick Answer

Vegetable	Botanical Name	Key Feature	Flavor
Scallions	Usually Allium cepa (young common onion) or Allium fistulosum (bunching/Welsh onion)	Long white stalk with little or no bulb	Mild, fresh
Green Onions	Usually the same as scallions	Little or no bulb	Mild, fresh
Spring Onions	Allium cepa	Small rounded bulb beginning to develop	Sweeter, stronger
Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Very thin, grass-like leaves, no bulb	Delicate, subtle

1. Scallions and Green Onions 🟢

In North America, green onions and scallions are generally the same thing. The two names are used interchangeably.

They may come from:

Young common onions (Allium cepa) harvested before the bulb develops
Bunching onions (Allium fistulosum), which naturally produce little or no bulb

What they look like

Straight white base
Little or no rounded bulb
Long hollow green leaves
Both the white and green parts are edible

Flavor

Mild
Fresh
Slightly peppery
White portion is stronger than the green tops

Best uses

Salads
Soups
Stir-fries
Fried rice
Noodle dishes
Tacos
Salsas
Garnishes

Kitchen tip: Most American grocery stores label them as green onions, while many recipes and chefs use scallions. For everyday cooking, they’re essentially interchangeable.