Allium nigrum
black garlic
Family AmaryllidaceaeAlso called broad-leaved leek, broadleaf garlic
About
Allium nigrum is a Middle Eastern ornamental onion with tall stalks of white starry flowers; unusually, it lacks the typical onion or garlic smell.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Allium species are toxic to cats and dogs; eating large amounts can cause hemolytic anemia, and cats are most sensitive. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Low toxicity; eating large quantities may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Full sun to light shade. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Avoid overly damp ground; wet conditions invite bulb rot and other fungal problems. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Fertile, loose, well-drained soil; sand or loam both suit. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Divide bulb offsets in spring; seed is slower and may take years to germinate. General guidance for the genus
- Mature size
- Flower stalks 80–100 cm tall; leaves up to 60 cm long.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Asymmetric bulbs up to 5 cm across produce 3–6 flat, lance-shaped leaves up to 60 cm long that later curl back. Smooth stalks 80–100 cm tall carry dense heads of star-shaped white flowers up to 9 mm across with green midveins and dark green ovaries.
Distribution & habitat
Native to Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestine region; naturalised in places including Washington and Oregon in the United States.
Cultivation notes
A common garden ornamental in Europe and North America since the early 20th century; also produced in Taean and Seosan, South Korea.
History & etymology
The type species of section Melanocrommyum; molecular work suggests it is a variable species with several internal groups.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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