South African Gardening Blog » wild garlic http://www.sprig.co.za On plants, gardens and nature in South Africa. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:29:20 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Get wild with garlic! http://www.sprig.co.za/2010/04/get-wild-with-garlic/ http://www.sprig.co.za/2010/04/get-wild-with-garlic/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:53:05 +0000 mol-d http://www.sprig.co.za/?p=1696 I have just started looking at possibilities for a small garden in my flat and found that there is already a wild garlic plant growing…

We have already discussed its varied uses but it seems to have a few more….

It can be used to treat AIDS-related illnesses, high blood pressure and can be used in cooking. Lastly, it is used in love potions. Click here and scroll down to ‘Love’ if you want to make one! :-)

]]> http://www.sprig.co.za/2010/04/get-wild-with-garlic/feed/ 2 Snake Charms http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/05/snake-charms/ http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/05/snake-charms/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 07:51:57 +0000 Niall http://sprig.co.za/?p=361 One of my all time favourite indigenous plants, and also very popular with landscapers in Durban, is the Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea or Isihaqa).  It grows in clumps of grey-green, strappy leaves that smell strongly of garlic when bruised or, in fact, even when watered.  Beautiful purple flowers appear at the end of stalks throughout summer, and look particularly impressive when grouped together.

A hardy, drought-resistant plant, wild garlic requires little attention once settled in your garden.  The flowers form seed-pods which are very easy to propagate and wild garlic will self-seed itself if left to its own devices.  As the plant grows, larger clumps can also be divided to form new plants.

This plant is also extensively used in traditional medicine – to treat asthma, rheumatism, colds and tuberculosis.  In permaculture, wild garlic is planted among vegetable crops to keep pests away, in particular aphids, and the young leaves can also be eaten as a type of spinach.  In rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal, wild garlic is planted around homesteads to protect them from snakes.  Lastly, and I have no proof that this works, the root of the plant can be used as a love charm by men to attract girls.

What an amazing and useful plant!

Wild Garlic flower.

Wild Garlic flower.

Wild Garlic plant and flower.

Wild Garlic plant and flower.

]]> http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/05/snake-charms/feed/ 3 Accidental Bee Photography http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/02/accidental-bee-photograph/ http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/02/accidental-bee-photograph/#comments Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:41:16 +0000 Niall http://sprig.co.za/?p=71 I was taking a photograph of a Wild Garlic (tulbaghia violacea or isihaqa) flower this morning and a bee flew into the shot as I took the photograph. Pretty cool.

Accidental bee photography.

Accidental bee photography.

]]> http://www.sprig.co.za/2009/02/accidental-bee-photograph/feed/ 3