Allium ramosum

The Fragrant Garlic or Chinese Chives, in Latin Allium ramosum, is a bulbous plant, used as a condiment and for decoration. It develops thin flat leaves, with a fairly mild and sweet flavour, similar to onion. It is also loved for its pretty, white, fragrant and melliferous umbel flowers, which appear for several weeks in summer. It can be planted in spring or autumn, in sunny locations, in any light soil that is not too dry.

Allium ramosum, also known as Allium tataricum, Allium odorum, Allium fragrans, is commonly called fragrant garlic or Chinese chives. It is a perennial plant belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. It is a botanical species native to regions in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia, the Russian Far East, and northern China. It naturally grows at altitudes ranging from 500 to 2,100 m. The small bulbs of Allium ramosum are narrow and form dense clusters. The sturdy and upright flower stalks can reach up to 60 cm in height. The plant spreads to a similar width, forming a compact upright clump. The linear, keeled leaves are shorter than the flower stalks. They are deciduous in winter. The umbels consist of numerous small tightly packed flowers, composed of white to pinkish tepals with a red mid vein. The flowering period extends from June-July to August-September, attracting many pollinating insects. They have a pleasant fragrance, but their scent is only noticeable up close.

Fragrant garlic can be planted in sunny borders and beds or vegetable gardens. Its cut flowers can also be used in bouquets. For a harmonious garden, it can be paired with common chives, Rose du Tarn garlic, for a diversity of shapes and flavours, and Nepeta mussinii, whose silver foliage contrasts beautifully with the garlic flower stalks. Common sage will add an aromatic touch to this combination. All these plants create a useful and decorative plant collection.

This plant is widely used in northern China and Mongolian cuisine. The leaves, with a mild and pleasant onion flavour, can be consumed raw or cooked, and the raw flowers are often used as garnish in salads. The small 10 mm diameter bulbs can also be used.

In Mongolia, the plant is harvested between May and July, salted, and preserved for winter and then used to season boiled mutton or stuff dumplings. The flowers are also picked and salted for culinary use. In addition to its culinary uses, Allium ramosum is known for its medicinal properties in treating stomach ailments.

Gardening tip: To reduce watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, if possible mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which keeps the soil moist, also limits weed growth. The mulch should ideally be renewed every year.