Society Garlic
Tulbaghia violacea
Family: Alliaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Lavender, Pink. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Early spring, Late summer, Late fall, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid fall, Mid spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Tulbaghia violacea is an evergreen Perennial growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from June to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Forest margins and stream banks.
S. Africa - Eastern Cape, Transvaal.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Leaves and stems - raw or cooked. A mild garlic flavour, they are used as a flavouring in soups and salads. Flowers - raw or cooked. They can be added to salads, used as a garnish or as a flavouring in cooked foods. The flowers are very ornamental, they have a sweet, onion-like heat in the mouth.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 3
Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Ground cover, Rock garden, Seashore. Special Features: Attractive foliage, Not North American native. Suitable for cut flowers. Fragrant flowers. Attractive flowers or blooms.
Companion: Companion planting is the careful placement of plants (especially vegetables and herbs) which have been shown to have beneficial effects on one another.
Cut flowers: Cut flowers are flowers or flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) for decorative use.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Ground Cover: Ground Cover
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Requires a well-drained soil in a sunny sheltered position. Hardy in the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c, it can be grown as a bedding plant or at the base of a warm wall. Plants succeed outdoors at Edinburgh botanical gardens. Plants grow from a cluster of small bulbs attached to a basal plate that is sometimes regarded as a rhizome. The flowers are very fragrant at night, the whole plant has a garlic-like aroma. There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value. 'Silver Lace' is a dwarf clumping plant that grows well in containers and is more attractive with larger flowers than the type.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the greenhouse. Sow stored seed in early spring in the greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If planting them outdoors, this is best done in late summer when the plants are dormant. Division of the dormant plants in late summer.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 7-11
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist