Most gardeners are familiar with the large, impressive Alliums, also known as flowering onions. Yes, those softball-size purple globes look great towering over shorter plants. They adorned the Mary Snoddy garden several times, but either dwindled down to nothing in a few years or were so tall they needed to be staked. I have limited patience for staking and even less for expensive bulbs that pull a disappearing act, so I moved on to better plants. Then I discovered two diminutive lookalikes, Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea, pronounced tul-BAG-ee-uh vy-oh-LAH-say-uh) and Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum, pronounced AL-ee-um too-ber-OH-sum).
Society Garlic has long narrow leaves and clusters of star-shaped lavender flowers held atop narrow stems. If the leaves are crushed, they give off a strong garlic odor. Plant them in full sun or part sun. They are heat and drought tolerant, but will bloom much more if given plenty of water. They are perennial in zones 7-10. Propagate by dividing mature clumps or taking root cuttings. They are rarely bothered by insects or diseases, although slugs may cause minor damage. I was surprised to find Society Garlic flowers are a favorite target for hummingbirds. A variegated-leaf type is available but I find it to be less cold hardy than the non-variegated form.
Garlic Chives also have long narrow leaves, but their flower clusters are white. Unlike Society Garlic, those flowers are followed by capsules of black seeds. Unless the capsules are removed, they fall to the ground and seeds sprout into ever-enlarging clumps, giving rise to a reputation for invasiveness. Trust me on this one – removing the seed clusters is far easier that removing a zillion little bulbs. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, but hummingbirds pass them by. Garlic Chives grow in a wider area than Society Garlic, in zones 3-9. They are not picky on soil type as long as it is a well-drained. They prefer full sun. So, how do you tell Garlic Chives from Onion Chives? Garlic Chives have a solid stem; Onion Chives have hollow stems.
Society Garlic begins flowering in spring and continues through frost. Garlic Chives is a late-summer to autumn bloomer. Deer ignore both these beauties. Either can be closely planted as a flower bed edger to discourage deer from nibbling your favorites.
This clump of Allium tuberosum (Garlic Chives) held up to a heavy thunderstorm just minutes before. It did not flatten the way many other plants would.
