Have 2 areas where these surprises came up. Slender stalks resemble onion or garlic. Paper husks starting to pop, revealing rock-hard violet heads. Wi neighborhood near Lake Michigan.

Hi miltonsmom,

You didn't state where you live/where the plant is growing; it reminds me of Allium but I don't know which one. We have a lot of Ornamental Onions listed in the database: http://garden.org/plants/searc...

Hopefully someone more familiar with Alliium will be able to offer suggestions.

Most likely Drumsticks (Allium sphaerocephalon), a great plant for bees.

Definitely not drumsticks as I have those: the flower heads are more oval and quite a bit bigger than these little buggers. I'll keep watching...

It took almost a year, but we've figured it out: wild garlic. It is invasive here in Milwaukee County, WI. The little seed head explodes and sends those buggers flying, to self sow in someone else's yard. We tried cutting up the bulb to use like garlic but the taste was so mild that it was not worth the effort. Easily picked, help out the environment and pull these when you see them.

There are several different plants that may be called "wild garlic", including some that are not alliums. The ones I looked at had white flowers. What plant species did you figure out it is?

Not sure of species. I know the allium you refer to. I have some and have also found it growing in the wild. It is a "Nodding Allium", regarded more as a wild onion rather than a garlic.