Herb: Mouse Garlic


Latin name: Allium angulosum


Family: Alliaceae (Onion Family)



Medicinal use of Mouse Garlic:

Although no specific mention of medicinal uses has been seen for this species, members of this genus are in general very healthy additions to the diet. They contain sulphur compounds (which give them their onion flavour) and when added to the diet on a regular basis they help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system and also tonify the circulatory system.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Bulb

Height:
45 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Damp meadows near rivers.

Edible parts of Mouse Garlic:

Bulb - raw or cooked. It can be preserved for winter use by salting. The small bulbs are slender and elongated and about 5mm wide. Leaves - raw or cooked. There is a slight bitterness in the flavour. Flowers - raw. Used as a garnish on salads.

Other uses of the herb:

The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles.

Propagation of Mouse Garlic:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle - if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in spring once they are growing vigorously and are large enough. Division in spring. Very easy, the plants divide successfully at any time in the growing season and the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.

Cultivation of the herb:

Damp meadows near rivers.

Known hazards of Allium angulosum:

Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.