Allium ramosum aka Fragrant Garlic

Allium ramosum grows from bulbs and belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. Names for it include Chinese chives and fragrant flowered garlic. It comes from parts of Asia with a temperate climate. These include China, Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan. Wild plants grow in meadows, on grassy slopes and in sunny pastures. In northern China, they grow at heights of 1,640–6,890 feet [500–2,100 metres].

The plant grows upright to about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. Its small bulbs are about 0.03 feet [0.01 metres] across. White flowers add interest to beds and borders. Plants For A Future gives July to September as the bloom season. Chicago Botanic Garden says blooms last into October. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees and other insects carry pollen between the flowers. Chicago Botanic Garden says the plant draws butterflies, too. It also reports that the plant resists feeding by deer.

Choose a sunny spot with light soil that drains well. Plants For A Future lists both sand and loam as suitable soils. Soil can be slightly acid, neutral or slightly alkaline. That source says the plant will not grow in shade. Chicago Botanic Garden lists full sun and part shade. Full sun is thus the clearest choice from both sources. Moist soil suits it, though Plants For A Future accepts dry soil, too. Chicago Botanic Garden gives USDA hardiness zones 7–9. Plants For A Future says it is easy to grow.

You can eat the leaves and bulbs raw or cooked. The leaves taste of garlic, chives and onions, with some sweetness. Use raw flowers as a garnish for salads. Plants For A Future records past use as medicine in Vietnam. People used it for coughs, sore throats and gut complaints. These records show past use, not proof that treatments work. People have also used the plant's juice to repel moths.

Grow it from seed or split plants in spring. Plants For A Future says to shelter seedlings through their first winter. Move them outside once they grow well and are large enough. It says split plants take root with ease during the growing season. The same source warns that this plant can hinder legumes. These are plants in the pea and bean family. It also reports poor growth when this plant grows with alfalfa. Its weed review does not flag the species as weedy.