Practical
Plants

Nothoscordum gracile

a member of the Nothoscordum genus in the family Alliaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Alliaceae
Height
0.45 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bulb - raw or cooked. A garlic substitute[5], it is used as a spice[2][3][4].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Root

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America. A garden escape in Britain.
Habitat
Sandy roadsides, woods and cultivated ground[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame[1]. Spring sown seed germinates freely[K]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in spring. Division of offsets after the leaves die down in summer. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a light sandy soil in a sunny position[8]. This species reproduces freely when in good growing conditions and has become a weed in some gardens[8]. The flowers have a rich, sweet lily-like perfume[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

  7. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  8. Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. Small. Manual of the Southeastern Flora.

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