Field Garlic

Allium vineale

Found in lawns, pastures, other disturbed places. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—

Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 1–3 feet
Spread: 2–4 inches
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Allium vineale — flower photograph — no rights reserved · CC0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial, from a bulb
Bloom: May to July
Fruiting season: June to August

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 45 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

17CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Allium

Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Agrotis malefidaRascal Dart, Pale-Sided Cut-Worm, Shagreened Cut-Worm
Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Ascia monusteGreat Southern White
Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm

Show all 17

Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera latifasciaOrange-Striped Armyworm, Velvet Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Allium

Alectoris chukarChukar
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Alliaceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–8b
Flower color: Purple or white
Fruit begins: June
Fruit ends: August

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Late May to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “August” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “1–3 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Perennial, from a bulb” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “2–4 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Onion Grass; Wild Garlic

Conservation status

Alabama rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden