#false garlic

[dvoeverie-stitches]

False garlic/crow poison

[blogbirdfeather]

False Garlic - Alho-americano (Nothoscordum gracile)

Sintra/Portugal (7/11/2024)

[Nikon D850; ∑150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro with Lume Cube; 1/160s; F13; 400 ISO]

[faguscarolinensis]

Allium neopolitanum / Neopolitan Garlic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

[violetcatt]

False Garlic...

...Please correct me if I'm wrong on that ID.

[wigmund]

Crow Poison (Nothoscordum bivalve) growing next to the parking lot at West Fork’s Riverside Park on the West Fork of the White River on April 16, 2026

[lynnswirld]

As you can see no pesticides are used in the making of our yard 😝 this is false garlic it’s one of the first plants to bloom in spring - it provides nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies. It looks like of tiny asian lilies to me - so delicate

[fallsaromas]

Today's plant is:

The humble False Garlic. This plant is part of the Onion/Greater Lily Family and grows in the southern and lower western United States. Commonly confused with the poisonous Star of Bethlehem, however this plant isn't poisonous. This plant has edible bulbs that hold a faint hint of garlic aroma. It can be easily overharvested so, conservation is key.

[stopandlook]

Scientific Name: Nothoscordum bivalve Common Name(s): Crowpoison, false garlic Family: Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis); prev. Liliaceae (lily) Life Cycle: Perennial Leaf Retention: Deciduous Habit: Forb USDA L48 Native Status: Native Location: Plano, Texas Season(s): Late winter

Two views of the same plant. Each flower is about half an inch across.

The taxonomic tango between Amaryllidaceae and Liliaceae is hard to unravel, and Wikipedia describes it with “[the Amaryllidaceae] … has seen much reorganization and at various times was combined with the related Liliaceae” and “the taxonomy of Liliaceae has had a complex history.” Specifically with regard to this plant, the genus Nothoscordum falls under Allioideae, which was at one time its own family called Alliaceae (onion), but is now classified as a subfamily of Amaryllidaceae.

The common name is also a bit of a mystery — apparently it’s based on a Cherokee legend, but there is a lack of confirmed evidence to indicate that this plant is truly poisonous to crows. We’re warned not to eat it, but its toxicity to humans doesn’t seem well-documented either (note: there are other plants that share this common name, and those are known to be toxic). In any case, if in doubt, don’t eat it.