# field garlic (*Allium oleraceum*)

Field garlic is a wild plant that grows in fields and meadows. It has long green leaves and small white flowers that smell like garlic. People often find it in grassy areas where it can grow freely.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![field garlic](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Allium_oleraceum_-_rohulauk.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_oleraceum_-_rohulauk.jpg)

## Appearance

The field garlic has slender, grass-like leaves and a solid stem topped with a globe-shaped cluster of small, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers range from pinkish-purple to white and are often mixed with tiny, green or purplish aerial bulblets, making it distinct from true wild grasses.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Amaryllidaceae
- **Genus:** Allium

## Interesting facts

- Did you know that crushing its leaves releases a strong garlicky perfume? Wow!
- Its underground bulb can stay alive for years, patiently waiting for the perfect time to grow. Wow!
- Some butterflies and bees love sipping sweet nectar from its pretty, tiny flowers. Wow!
- You can find this wild garlic growing in many countries, from Europe to North America! Wow!

## Special abilities

- **Air Babies!:** Field garlic can grow tiny 'baby bulbs' (bulbils) on its flower stalk that fall off and sprout new plants, helping it spread easily.
- **Stinky Shield!:** Field garlic has powerful oniony-garlicky smells when crushed, which helps it warn away hungry animals from munching on it.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 10-20 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** green peach aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — sucks sap from leaves
- **Pollinates:** buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — collects pollen and nectar

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before picking or eating any wild plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify field garlic?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is field garlic?

30-90 cm

### How wide does field garlic spread?

10-20 cm

### How big are the flowers on field garlic?

0.5-1 cm

### When does field garlic bloom?

Summer

### Is field garlic edible?

Yes

### Is field garlic toxic?

None

### What is field garlic's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Field Garlic: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-garlic)