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I am trying to identify this Allium. It was present in our garden when we moved in. It grows well every year, but then the tops fall over and die by early Summer without flowering. Numerous other species of Allium planted next to it flower, so I do not believe the lack of flowering is due to poor conditions. I have never seen it start to form a flowering stalk.

It has flat leaves with a V profile like garlic, and a strong, pleasant garlic flavor. The bulbs are small, round and red. I am located near Vancouver, BC.

Bulb of mature sized specimen

Fallen over clump

V profile of leaves

Base of leaves

hwm
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1 Answers1

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There are a few alliums or wild garlics that show these distinct flat leaves.

Candidates are for example

  • Allium canadense (that would be native, but smells of onion rather than garlic)
  • Allium validum (also native, but the leaves seem wider and I couldn’t find any references on scent)

But… as gardeners have been cultivating alliums for centuries, there is also a real chance that you have some variety of A. sativum or even a hybrid, that ended up in your garden somehow, possibly planted and forgotten. I myself have cluster of what’s clearly a “garlic” of sorts, remarkably similar to yours including the purple hue on the bulb, passed on from one gardener to another with the simple description of “frost hardy permanent garlic” (aka. no tangible details whatsoever). While the cluster in my mom’s garden spreads and blooms, mine never has - and they grow less than 100m apart and other alliums are quite happy in my garden.

Stephie
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