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Avatar for redfeathers
May 16, 2023 3:05 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: redfeathers
North coastal area San Diego c (Zone 10a)
Im in San Diego area Calif. These are NOT onions and spread rapidly across garden beds dividing as they grow. It started last year with onion seed now I have a serious problem. They have white flowers. They have a v shaped leaf with a spine, grow quickly and deeply and the bulbs constantly make babies, making them spread like crazy. What can I do to get rid of them ( cover the ground and let it heat up?) as digging them up is very difficult and often just spreads the little bulbs more by doing so? What are they?
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Avatar for porkpal
May 16, 2023 3:11 PM CST
Name: Porkpal
Richmond, TX (Zone 9a)
Cat Lover Charter ATP Member Keeper of Poultry I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Dog Lover Keeps Horses
Roses Plant Identifier Farmer Raises cows Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
A type of sedge?
Avatar for RpR
May 16, 2023 4:12 PM CST
Name: Dr. Demento Jr.
Minnesota (Zone 3b)
https://dengarden.com/gardenin...

If it looks , smells and tastes like an onion , it probably is. Group hug
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May 16, 2023 4:59 PM CST
Name: Zoë
Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft (Zone 7b)
Bee Lover Salvias Region: New Mexico Herbs Container Gardener Composter
Cat Lover Butterflies Bookworm Birds Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Well, Redfeathers says not an onion. I confess my immediate thought was garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, notoriously prolific and impossible to eradicate, flat leaf, white flower. Has a garlicky smell and taste. But those leaves in your pix look just slightly different. Might be a close relative. Unless you're certain they aren't garlic chives, it's worth looking into.

I don't suppose you still have the seed packet? (Yeah, you probably wouldn't be writing if you do).

Btw, Not to be confused with regular onion chives, Allium schoenoprasum, which grow in clumps, smell distinctly oniony, have slender tubular leaves and purple flowers.
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May 16, 2023 5:44 PM CST
Name: Sue
Ontario, Canada (Zone 4b)
Annuals Native Plants and Wildflowers Keeps Horses Dog Lover Daylilies Region: Canadian
Butterflies Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Garden Sages Plant Identifier
Could it be this, Nothoscordum gracile? There are no pics in the NGA database so here's a link:

https://www.calflora.org/app/t...
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May 16, 2023 5:53 PM CST
Name: Janine
NE Connecticut (Zone 6b)
Cat Lover Native Plants and Wildflowers Region: Connecticut Seed Starter Herbs Plant and/or Seed Trader
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Galanthus?
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May 16, 2023 6:09 PM CST
Name: Zoë
Albuquerque NM, Elev 5310 ft (Zone 7b)
Bee Lover Salvias Region: New Mexico Herbs Container Gardener Composter
Cat Lover Butterflies Bookworm Birds Enjoys or suffers hot summers
sooby said: Could it be this, Nothoscordum gracile? There are no pics in the NGA database so here's a link:

https://www.calflora.org/app/t...


That looks very promising!. Here's some more info and photos
https://gardenerd.com/blog/wha...
Avatar for RpR
May 16, 2023 8:14 PM CST
Name: Dr. Demento Jr.
Minnesota (Zone 3b)
redfeathers said: Im in San Diego area Calif. These are NOT onions and spread rapidly across garden beds dividing as they grow. It started last year with onion seed now I have a serious problem. They have white flowers. They have a v shaped leaf with a spine, grow quickly and deeply and the bulbs constantly make babies, making them spread like crazy. What can I do to get rid of them ( cover the ground and let it heat up?) as digging them up is very difficult and often just spreads the little bulbs more by doing so? What are they?

Does it have a onion/garlic smell.
Many plants called onion/garlic weed have white flowers.
Are the stems hollow.
Sooby is probably correct.
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May 17, 2023 8:19 AM CST
Name: Bria
Northern VA (Zone 7a)
Birds Houseplants
Could it be Star of Bethlehem?
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May 17, 2023 11:38 AM CST
Name: Sue
Ontario, Canada (Zone 4b)
Annuals Native Plants and Wildflowers Keeps Horses Dog Lover Daylilies Region: Canadian
Butterflies Birds Enjoys or suffers cold winters Garden Sages Plant Identifier
Bschmuck said: Could it be Star of Bethlehem?


It was that train of thought that led me to Nothoscordum, which I thought looked closer (especially since there is mention of a spine on the leaves).
Avatar for CPPgardener
May 17, 2023 10:16 PM CST
Name: John
Pomona/Riverside CA (Zone 9a)
They grow too deep for solarization to be effective. Your choices are glyphosate (Round-up) and hand-pulling. Both require diligent re-application. Rolling my eyes. Whistling
“That which is, is.That which happens, happens.” Douglas Adams
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