Field garlic
Allium vineale
Synonyms: Allium canadense, Allium compactum, Porrum capitatum, Allium vineale var. multiplicatum, Porrum vineale, Allium vineale var. descendens, Allium vineale var. nitens, Allium vineale var. affine, Allium assimile, Allium vineale subsp. compactum, Allium vineale var. asperiflorum, Allium vineale subsp. kochii, Allium guttatum var. compactum, Allium sphaerocephalon var. compactum, Allium purshii, Allium vineale var. compactum, Allium vineale var. kochii, Allium vineale var. monspessulanum, Allium vineale var. typicum, Allium vineale var. multiflorum, Allium vineale subvar. compactum, Allium vineale subsp. purpureum, Allium vineale subsp. affine, Allium vineale f. compactum, Allium subvineale, Getuonis vinealis, Allium vineale var. purshii, Allium vineale var. laxiflorum, Allium vineale var. pratense, Allium vineale var. bulbiferum, Allium vineale var. capsuliferum, Allium margaritaceum var. compactum, Allium campestre, Allium laxiflorum, Allium rilaense, Allium vineale var. biceps, Allium vineale var. sylvaticum, Allium vineale subsp. capsuliferum, Allium littoreum, Allium vineale var. purpureum, Allium affine, Allium margaritaceum var. bulbiferum, Allium sphaerocephalum, Allium nitens, Allium vineale subsp. asperiflorum, Allium vineale var. virens, Allium arenarium, Allium descendens, Allium rotundum
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Botanical Description
Allium vineale, the crow garlic or wild garlic, is a bulbous perennial herb of the family Amaryllidaceae growing 30 to 90 cm tall, smelling strongly of onion when crushed. It grows from a small bulb that produces offset bulblets, sending up a slender stem clothed below by hollow, cylindrical, grooved leaves. The flower head is enclosed in a papery spathe and characteristically consists largely or wholly of small reddish to greenish aerial bulbils, sometimes mixed with a few pink to purplish star-shaped flowers on long stalks. It flowers in early to mid summer. Native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia and naturalised as a troublesome weed in North America, crow garlic grows in pastures, arable fields, grassy roadsides, lawns and waste ground. The bulbs and leaves are edible with a pungent garlic flavour.
Cultural & Historical Context
Traditional American Uses
The Mahuna used crow garlic for dermatological complaints and for snakebite, the Rappahannock took it for pulmonary ailments and to lower blood pressure, and the Cherokee used it as a stimulant and for respiratory conditions (Moerman, 1998). The pungent bulbs and leaves were also gathered and eaten as a wild garlic.
Chemistry & External Identifiers
Important Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.