Society Garlic
Grassy clumps, lavender blooms, and a garlicky scent when you brush past. Edging that earns its keep.
Grassy clumping perennial with lavender flowers and a garlic scent.
Why it works here
Society garlic is a small, tidy, dependable plant that flowers over a long season with clusters of lavender-pink star flowers on slim stems above grassy leaves. It is drought tolerant, takes our heat and sandy soil, and makes a clean edging or mass planting. Crush a leaf and you get a garlic smell, which is where the name comes from and which seems to make it less interesting to some browsing pests. It is a low-fuss filler that just works.
Care
Water to establish, then it needs little, though it looks best with occasional water in dry stretches. Feed lightly with compost in spring if you like, but it is not demanding. Mulch to hold moisture and suppress weeds. Deadhead spent flower stalks to keep it tidy and encourage more, and divide crowded clumps in the cooler months to spread it around. There is also a variegated form with cream-edged leaves if you want more foliage interest.
Common problems
This is a nearly trouble-free plant with few pests. The garlicky scent when leaves are crushed bothers some people, so avoid planting it right where you brush against it constantly if that matters to you. In soggy soil the clumps can rot, so give it decent drainage. It can reseed and spread slowly, which is easy to control by dividing or pulling extras.
Common questions
Can you eat it?
The leaves and flowers are edible and get used like chives or a mild garlic garnish, which is part of the plant's charm. That said, I grow and recommend it as an ornamental, so treat any eating as a bonus and be sure of your plant's identity first.
Why does it smell like garlic?
Because it is loosely related to onions and garlic, and the leaves release that scent when crushed or brushed. The smell fades quickly and seems to make the plant less appealing to some browsing pests.
Does it spread out of control?
Not really. It widens its clump slowly and can drop a few seedlings, but it is easy to keep in bounds by dividing the clumps every few years or pulling any strays.
Interested in a society garlic in your landscape?
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