Society Garlic
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Tulbaghia violacea (Non-native)
Tulbaghia violacea is a clumping evergreen perennial with fat, tuberous roots that emerge flexible grass-like 1-foot long by 1/4 inch broad blue-green leaves. From spring into fall, and sometimes longer in frost-free areas, arise slender stalks 18 to 24 inches high, topped by an umbel of about 10 to 20 small lavender flowers. The foliage has a strong garlic-like odor on warm days and is bruised by touching or frost.
Plant in full sun to light shade with occasional to regular irrigation - somewhat drought tolerant but always looks better with more frequent watering. Hardy and evergreen to around 23°F but root hardy to around 0°F and valuable in USDA Zone 7 and above. This plant is helpful as a low-border plant or for the edge of the lawn, a pond, or even in shallow water, but one must keep in mind the smell when deciding where to plant it as it can be powerful, and some find it objectionable. This smell controls animals (cats, dogs, deer away, and perhaps even snails and slugs). Still, it uses rubber gloves when deadheading and resists using the flowers indoors for flower arrangements. The leaves and flowers can be used raw or cooked in food preparation.
This plant comes from southern Africa (KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Province), where it grows along forest margins and stream banks and is used for food and medicine by the indigenous Zulu tribes.
Height: 1’-3’
Spread: 1’-2’
Bloom: April-August
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Zone: 7, 8, 9, 10
Origin: South Africa
Winter Shipping: We will continue to ship throughout winter. If you prefer, we are happy to hold your order until spring; please include that request in your shipping notes.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
