Allium oleraceum

Field garlic

Blütenstand (CC BY-SA 3.0) Dr. Killer

Short Description

The field garlic can grow up to 60 cm high.

The two to five leaves appear to come directly from the ground (basal). They are long, narrow and flat or grooved, but not hollow. The underside is rough. At flowering time the leaves are usually already wilted.

The stem grows upright. It is hard.

The flowers have six reddish-white or greenish-white petals with a dark central stripe. They sit on long, pendulous flower stems in spherical inflorescences. They have red bulblets.

The fruits are three-parted capsules. However, the propagation of the plant is mainly ensured by the formation of bulblets.

Features

Field garlic

Allium oleraceum
  • hanging flowers

  • white petals with dark centre stripe

Habitus (CC BY-SA 4.0) Stefan.lefnaer

In the city

In the city, the field garlic can be found on dry grasslands, wastelands, along walls and on railway ballast. It prefers moderately dry, nutrient-rich and mostly calcareous soils in warmer locations.

Fun Facts

  • The small bulblets fall out of the inflorescences, form roots on the ground and sprout into new plants.

  • The flowering period is from July to August.

  • It lives for several years and generally flowers and fruits annually (perennial plant).

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
  • Field garlic is native to Europe.

  • In the past, the spicy onions and bulblets were collected and used for cooking.

Blütenstand (CC BY-SA 3.0) Bernd Haynold

Sources

Blütenstand, Dr. Killer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jazev%C4%8D%C3%AD_4_-_Allium_oleraceum.JPG

Habitus, Stefan.lefnaer, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_oleraceum_sl37.jpg

Blütenstand, Bernd Haynold, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_oleraceum_010807.jpg

Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.

Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.

Spohn, M., Golte-Bechtle, M. & Spohn, R. (2015) Was blüht denn da? Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.

Page „Kohl-Lauch“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 23.12.2016, 07:12 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kohl-Lauch&oldid=160911767 (Accessed: 17.04.2018).

Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=300& (Accessed: 17.04.2018).