Allium canadense / Meadow garlic

Allium canadense L.

= A. acetabulum, A. continuum, A. reticulatum, A. fraseri, A. hyacinthoides, A. arenicola, A. microscordion, A. movilense, A. mutabile, A. zenobine

Meadow garlic, Canada onion, Canadian meadow garlic, wild onion, wild garlic

Dakota: pshiⁿ (Gilmore 1977:19)

Menominee: sikaku’sia (Smith 1923:70)

Omaha-Ponca: maⁿzhoⁿka-mantanaha (Gilmore 1977:19)

Onondaga: u’no̜ʹsa‘ ga’no̜suhaʹha‘ (Waugh 1916:118)

Pawnee: osidiwa, Winnebago: shiⁿhop (Gilmore 1977:19)

Location in Texas: all TX except W; common in Travis Co.

Form: grass-like herb, up to over 1 ft. tall; perennial.

Flowers: Mar-July (white, pink).

Food

Whole plant – eaten fresh and raw, fried, or cooked in meat and soup by the Dakota, Omaha, Ponca, Pawnee, Winnebago (Gilmore 1977:19), Iroquois (Waugh 1916:118), and Menominee (Smith 1923:70).

Experimentation

I have eaten the leaves, bulbs, flowers, and fruits many times. They are absolutely delicious and can be used in place of onions or chives. Their taste is much like commercial white onions.

They grow quite abundantly and prolifically, often in disturbed areas such as yards, trailside, or creek banks. They seem to prefer soft loamy or clay soils.