Tulbaghia violacea, commonly known as Society Garlic, is a reliable perennial grown for its fragrant pale purple flowers and attractive grey-green foliage.

Clusters of star-shaped flowers appear on upright stems in late summer and early autumn, adding colour when many earlier perennials have finished flowering.

• Height: 40–50cm
• Spread: 30–40cm
• Flower colour: pale purple
• Flowering time: late summer to early autumn
• Position: full sun
• Soil: well-drained soil

About Tulbaghia violacea

Tulbaghia violacea is a rhizomatous perennial that forms tidy clumps of narrow grey-green leaves.

From the centre of the plant, slender stems rise above the foliage carrying rounded umbels of small star-shaped flowers.

The blooms release a light fragrance and continue appearing through late summer and into early autumn.

The plant is related to garlic and produces a similar scent when the leaves are crushed, which gives rise to its common name.

Common names include:

• Society garlic
• Wild garlic lily

Benefits for UK Wildlife

Tulbaghia violacea is useful for pollinator-friendly planting.

• Nectar-rich flowers attract bees
• Supports butterflies and other pollinating insects
• Provides late-season nectar for garden wildlife

Plant in sunny wildlife borders with other late-flowering plants to extend food sources for insects.

Where to Grow Society Garlic

• Sunny garden borders
• Gravel gardens
• Patio containers
• Mediterranean-style planting
• Wildlife-friendly beds

The tidy clumps also work well along paths or at the front of borders.

Planting Tips

• Plant rhizomes in spring.
• Choose a sunny location.
• Use well-drained soil.
• Plant rhizomes just below the soil surface.
• Space plants about 30–40cm apart.
• Water during dry periods while plants establish.

In colder parts of the UK, grow in containers so plants can be moved to a sheltered spot in winter.

Why Grow Tulbaghia violacea

• Fragrant pale purple flowers
• Long flowering season into autumn
• Compact clump-forming growth
• Attractive to bees and pollinators
• Suitable for borders and containers

If you want a dependable late-season flowering perennial, Tulbaghia violacea provides colour and pollinator interest when many other plants begin to fade.