Wild garlic, Canadian garlic, Meadow Garlic, Olympic Onion, American wild garlic, Rose garlic, Tree onion
Allium canadense

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant. It grows to 45 cm tall and spreads to 20 cm wide. The bulb is up to 30 mm wide. There are 3 or 4 leaves to each bulb. The flowers are bell-shaped and pink or white. They are in round compact clusters. These can be 2.5-4 cm across. There can be one or more bulbils in the flower head.

There are about 300-700 Allium species. Most species of Allium are edible (Flora of China). All alliums are edible but they may not all be worth eating! They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Where it is found

It grows naturally in North America from New Brunswick to Minnesota, south to Florida and Colorado in low woods, thickets and meadows. It is often in dry locations. It suits hardiness zones 3-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, Cuba, North America, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. They need to be picked before the flower stalk appears. The flowers are used raw or to flavour salads. Some forms have bulbils which are pickled.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulbs, bulbils

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by division of clumps. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. Bulbils can also be used.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Kalabotis canadensis (L.) Raf.;