Allium canadense
| Wild Onion | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Allium canadense L. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wild Onion (Allium canadense), also known as Meadow Garlic, Tree Onion, and Canadian Garlic, is a perennial plant native to North America. It has an edible bulb covered with a dense skin of brown fibers and tastes like an onion. The plant also has strong, onion-like odor. Field Garlic (Allium vineale) is similar, but it has a strong garlic taste.
The narrow, grass-like leaves originate near the base of the stem, which is topped by a dome-like cluster of star-shaped, pink or white flowers. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees and other insects. It typically flowers in the spring and early summer, from May to June.
Though the plant is edible, it pays to be careful in identifying it as there are several look-a-likes. The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent, and the whole plant is said to repel insects and moles. The plant can be rubbed on exposed parts of the body to protect them from the bites of scorpions and lizards. (Plants For A Future)
