Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - September 30, 2011

From: Fort Worth, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives, Seed and Plant Sources, Edible Plants
Title: Need source for garlic to plant in garden in Fort Worth, TX.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

Where can I get or purchase a native Texas garlic to plant in my garden?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants is assuming that the garlic you want to plant is for culinary use. The plant used for this purpose is Allium sativum which is not a Texas native.  The Texas natives with the name garlic are Allium canadense (Meadow garlic) and Allium drummondii (Drummond's onion). Both can be eaten, but they don’t have the large cloves that one would use in the kitchen.

There are at least 600 varieties of A. sativum that are grown and eaten world wide.
These three sites can tell you more about garlic and where you can obtain garlic sets.

   examiner.com how to grow garlic

   gourmetgarlicgardens.com good source for garlic sets

   hoodrivergarlic.com  good source for information and sets

 

More Non-Natives Questions

Plant mistakes from Cedar Park, TX
April 09, 2014 - At our "Wilts End" in Cedar Park, TX. and are looking for a tall shrub/tree that will hide a 6-ft tall concrete wall and muffle the noise from a busy street. The wall forms a very wide-angled V shap...
view the full question and answer

Flowering problems with Mexican Plum and Mimosa in Austin, TX
March 18, 2010 - Greetings, My Prunus mexicana (Mexican Plum) did not produce flowers before its leaves. Can you tell me why? I was hoping to have some fruit this year. Also, as of this morning March 13. My...
view the full question and answer

Suggestions for alternatives to invasive, non-native English ivy
August 17, 2006 - Can English ivy be planted in a pot, kept oudoors, and expected to endure our Maryland winters?
view the full question and answer

Care of non-native plant
March 17, 2016 - I have a plant that grows about 1' tall, looks sort of like a dracaena. The leaves grow off of a short stem and are yellowish (no green at all) with brilliant slashes of hot pink an red. It is georg...
view the full question and answer

Pollination of non-native cucumber plants in Austin
July 15, 2010 - I have 3 cucumber plants that are in planter boxes hanging from my wrought iron fence and they use it as a trellis. All 3 plants are producing only female flowers. No male. None of them have produc...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.