Field Garlic Allium vineale

Field Garlic is a common lawn weed that, while native to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, has naturalized in much of the world including the eastern US.  It can be found in disturbed areas, along roadsides, thickets, meadows, and woodlands spreading by seeds, aerial bulbils, and bulb offsets below ground.  It is a cool-season perennial which means that it emerges in the fall and goes dormant after flowering in the early summer.

The scape which appears in the spring through early summer is comprised of a number of small bulbils and a few to no flowers.  The leaves are long, thin, and hollow like chives but look similar enough to grass blades you may not notice them growing in your lawn until you mow and smell that familiar onion odor.  

The leaves, flowers, and bulbs are edible and can be used similarly to chives, although they tend to be a bit tougher. These plants will die back as temperatures increase but will reappear as fall temperatures return.  It grows in a wide variety of soils including heavy clay and prefers partial to full sun.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  It grows aggressively spreading by seeds, aerial bullets, and underground bulb offsets and is considered a noxious weed by the USDA. Hand pull it when the soil is moist, digging out bulblets with a trowel.  Mowing does not kill it but can weaken it and prevent seeding.  Once established it can be difficult to manage with mechanical measures and it is resistant to pre-emergent herbicides.  Bruising the foliage before the application of post-emergence herbicides can help with uptake.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.