Wild Onion / Wild Garlic

Allium canadense

Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis)

If it looks like an onion and smells like an onion, it's safe. No onion smell = do not eat (the deadly rule).

EdibleWild / foragedForagedSafe first forage

Wild Onion / Wild Garlic (Allium canadense) illustration — Texas Roots plant database, by Jordan Polasek

Sun

Full sun to part shade

Water

Any

Soil

Any

pH

Adaptable

Hardiness

Native perennial bulb

Height

12–18 in

Days to harvest

Spring

What it is

Wild Onion / Wild Garlic (Allium canadense) is in the Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis) family. If it looks like an onion and smells like an onion, it's safe. No onion smell = do not eat (the deadly rule).

How to grow it

It wants full sun to part shade, water it any, and give it any soil. Target a soil pH around Adaptable. Expect roughly Spring. Native perennial bulb.

How it's used

Wild Onion / Wild Garlic is used: bulbs and greens like onion/garlic.

🔎 How to identify it

Grass-like hollow leaves
Distinct onion/garlic smell
Small bulb at base

Edibility

PartsBulb and leaves

UsesBulbs and greens like onion/garlic

CautionThe onion SMELL is the safety test — toxic lookalikes lack it.

🌤 Before you plant: check the live 7-day garden weather to time it right for frost and heat.

Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.