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Field Guide
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Wild Garlic

Allium ursinum

Not yet photographed by the community

Carpets damp woodland with white stars and a pungent scent.

Species Profile

Not threatened; remains common and widespread across suitable habitat
Lifespan
Perennial; individual plants persist for many years, with bulbs capable of living 10+ years
Size & Weight
20–45 cm tall; white flower heads 2–3 cm diameter; bulbs 0.5–1 cm
Habitat
Deciduous and mixed woodlands, hedgerows, and damp shaded areas with rich, moist soils.
UK Distribution
Found throughout mainland Britain and Ireland, most abundant in southern and central England and Wales; absent from many upland areas and northern Scottish regions.
Diet
Perennial herb; obtains nutrients from soil through bulbs and roots; produces own food via photosynthesis
Predators
Slugs and snails; deer and rabbits browse leaves; bulbs may be damaged by voles and other rodents
Mating Season
April to June (flowering period)
Breeding
Reproduces both sexually via seed and vegetatively through bulb division; white star-shaped flowers clustered in umbels; seeds mature by summer
Behaviour
Wild garlic forms extensive colonies in woodlands, often carpeting the forest floor in spring. It is a spring ephemeral, flowering before tree canopy fully closes. Plants produce a characteristic garlic aroma when crushed.
Did You Know?
  • •Also known as ramsons or bear's garlic, the scientific name 'ursinum' derives from the Latin 'ursus' (bear), as bears were said to seek out the bulbs after hibernation
  • •The entire plant—leaves, stems, bulbs, and flowers—is edible and commonly foraged in the UK for culinary use
  • •A single plant can produce hundreds of seeds dispersed by ants, which collect the nutrient-rich seed attachments
  • •Wild garlic leaves emerge in early spring (February–March) and die back by early summer, avoiding competition from tree shade
  • •In some regions, extensive wild garlic colonies have become so dominant they exclude other woodland flora, raising conservation concerns for biodiversity

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