Field Garlic
CR

Field Garlic

Allium oleraceum

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_oleraceum

Overview

Allium oleraceum, the field garlic, is a Eurasian species of wild onion. It is a bulbous perennial that grows wild in dry places, reaching 30 centimetres (12 in) in height. It reproduces by seed, bulbs and by the production of small bulblets in the flower head. Unlike A. vineale, it is very rare with A. oleraceum to find flower-heads containing bulbils only. In addition, the spathe in A. oleraceum is in two parts.

Field Garlic faces severe population declines due to intensive agricultural practices that eliminate wild grassland habitats and widespread use of herbicides that target bulbous plants. Urban development and habitat fragmentation have further reduced suitable growing areas, while climate change threatens the specific temperature and moisture conditions this species requires for successful reproduction.

Threat summary

Habitat

Field Garlic occupies dry grasslands, meadows, field margins, and disturbed soils in temperate regions, typically growing in well-drained sandy or chalky soils. The species is found in open habitats including roadsides, waste ground, and traditional agricultural landscapes with low-intensity management.

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Amaryllidaceae

EN

Crinum oliganthum

Unknown
Summer snowflakeEN

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Leucojum aestivum

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Allium lineareEN

Allium lineare

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Allium lusitanicumEN

Allium lusitanicum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Field Garlic classified as Critically Endangered?
Field Garlic is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Field Garlic faces severe population declines due to intensive agricultural practices that eliminate wild grassland habitats and widespread use of herbicides that target bulbous plants. Urban development and habitat fragmentation have further reduced suitable growing areas, while climate change threatens the specific temperature and moisture conditions this species requires for successful reproduction.
Where does Field Garlic live?
Field Garlic occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Field Garlic?
The main threats to Field Garlic are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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