Fragrant False Garlic - a weed (*Nothoscordum borbonicum)

Other names: Onion Weed, False Onion Weed, *Nothoscordum inodorum, *N gracile.

Family: Alliaceae, formerly included in Liliaceae (Lily family).

Native of South America.

Occurrence: Scattered, mainly as a garden weed.

Identification:

• the stem is cylindrical and solid
• the leaves are flat and grow from the base of the plant
• the flowers are on 1 - 1.5 cm stalks that radiate from the top of the main stem
• the flowers are white
• it produces numerous small bulbs (bulbils), which make the weed difficult to eradicate.

"Fragrant" refers to the scent of the flowers. The plant does not have an onion/garlic smell when crushed. It is difficult to eradicate, as digging is likely to scatter the bulbils, resulting in many new plants.

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