Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Margin: Denticulate , Entire
Leaf Apex: Acuminate
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Scape up to about 16 inches tall.
Leaf: Green
Fruit: Seeds black.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: CO , IA , ID , KS , MN , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , SD , UT , WA , WY
Canada: SK
Native Habitat: Prairie/Meadow/Field

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: Leaves, bulbs and bulblets. Field garlic (A. vineale) is too strong for most tastes. Gather leaves during spring and fall. Gather bulbs in the second year when they are large enough to use like cultivated onions. Flower stem bulblets are collected during the summer. Use as domestic onions, for seasoning or raw in salads. Bulbs can be used raw, boiled, pickled or for seasoning. Their strong taste can be reduced by parboiling and discarding the water. To freeze onions or garlic, one should coarsely chop, blanch two minutes, drain, pat dry and place them into plastic bags. The bulbs can also be dried for use as seasoning. Use flower bulbs to flavor soup or for pickling. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts but causes only low toxicity if eaten; can be safely eaten in small amounts, large quantities not recommended. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Toxic Principle: Sulfides. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Hummingbirds

Web Reference

Webref 62 - Burke Herbarium Image Collection (2020) University of Washington
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Allium textile in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Allium textile in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Allium textile