Allium canadense
Canadian meadow garlic
Overview
Allium canadense is a bulb-forming perennial 8-24 inches (20-60 cm) tall, growing from a single egg-shaped bulb wrapped in fibrous, net-like coats. Several grass-like, flat to channeled leaves 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) long rise from the base and carry an onion-garlic scent when crushed. In late spring a leafless stalk bears a rounded umbel that usually holds a cluster of small aerial bulbils, often mixed with or replaced by star-shaped pink to white flowers 0.25 inch (6 mm) across on slender stalks. The bulbils sprout while still on the stalk, weighing it down so it bends to the ground and roots nearby. Flowering and bulbil formation run from May through July. Foliage yellows and dies back by midsummer as the plant enters dormancy. It spreads by bulb offsets, aerial bulbils, and seed, forming dense patches over a few seasons. In lawns and crop fields the bulbils make it persistent and hard to remove.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, from Quebec and Ontario south to Florida and west to Montana and Texas. Grows in moist meadows, prairies, open woods, fields, and roadsides on a range of soils, often in disturbed ground.Suggested Uses
Grown in native, meadow, and edible gardens, where the leaves and bulbs are used like cultivated onions and garlic. Suited to naturalizing in moist meadows and prairie plantings at 6-12 inch (15-30 cm) spacing. Its bulbil spread makes it suited to wild areas rather than tidy beds or lawns.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
pink to whiteFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight