Society garlic
Tulbaghia violacea
Grassy clumps with lilac flowers for months; leaves and flowers give a mild garlic flavour.
Hardiness: zones 7 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 2 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Eastern Cape
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: Cape of South Africa. Hardy in zones 7 to 11.
The story
Wild garlic grows on the grasslands and rocky slopes of the Eastern Cape, where Zulu and Xhosa households use the leaves as a green and a seasoning and plant it around the home. Gardeners elsewhere know it as society garlic.
Planting
Full sun and soil that drains. It is drought-hardy and easy.
Growing
Divide the clumps every few years. Remove spent flower stalks to keep it blooming.
Harvest and use
Snip leaves like chives and scatter the lilac flowers on salads. The flavour is mild garlic.
What to watch for
The whole plant smells of garlic when brushed. Hard frost cuts it back.
See if Society garlic fits your yard
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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home