Meadow Garlic -Allium canadense

Meadow garlic is native to eastern North America. It is an edible wild onion with a relatively mild flavor. The stem is topped by bulblets with sprouted, green tails. It’s called both an onion and garlic because while it is technically a wild onion, it has a very strong garlic aroma.

Fun fact - when rubbed on the body, it makes a decent insect repellant.

comments (6)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Beautiful shot! If it's an insect repellant, how does it attract pollinators? Posted 7 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Ferdy. The insects that you would want to repel aren’t necessarily the pollinators, in this case. Bees (and probably other insects) would pollinate this plant, but when rubbed on your body, the strong garlic/onion smell is said to repel biting flies, such as mosquitoes. However, I wouldn’t recommend rubbing yourself with meadow garlic because, in my opinion, it really does stink and the smell doesn’t wash off easily. In a pinch, it would be much for effective to rub mud all over yourself to repel bugs (seriously). Plus, the mud would be more fun and would cool you down, as an added benefit. Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Oh, and they say that meadow garlic soothes bug bites, but I have yet to test that notion. Posted 7 years ago
  2. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Thanks, mud it is then :) Posted 7 years ago
  3. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      Perfect! Since Colombia has lots of mud, you'll be able to try it out on your next trip ;P Posted 7 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        Will do hehe Posted 7 years ago

The Canada onion

''Allium canadense'', also known as Canada onion, Canadian garlic, wild garlic, meadow garlic and wild onion is a perennial plant native to eastern North America from Texas to Florida to New Brunswick to Montana.

Info 4 0

Similar species: Agaves, Aloes, Onions

Species identified by Christine Young