This spring it comes out of the ground everywhere. Is this winter snowdrop? The flowers look different from my book. Thank you.
Looks more like Hyacinthoides hispanica: http://shop.gee-tee.co.uk/geetee.nsf/B1B6A06B6E510AE3802572B40040B0F2/$FILE/Hyacinthoides-Campanulata-White.jpg
I think it's a white bluebell. "Everywhere" is the key word here - the thing is brutally invasive. If you want to get rid of it you can dig up the tubers, which are white ovoid things, or just yank up the foliage once it's up, which may work if you do it for years running. And don't let it go to seed if you do let it bloom.
You are absolutely right! I asked several others before but everyone always told me something that looked similar but not quite the same. Thank you! I see that it is also called three-cornered leek, angled onion, onion weed and three-cornered garlic, and yes, it does give out a strong onion smell. Last year I pulled them out early, so I didn't see the flowers. This year it is everywhere. It looks pretty but I need the space to grow other things. I wonder if I can use it in cooking.
Known as onion weed here. A total pest. The smell in the air is really rank when people have been wippersnipping (weedwackering) the rotton stuff. The only way I know to get rid of it is a don't let it flower so it can'r spread and B) carefully hand weed each and every blublet into a bucket and put in a place to totaly dry out. May take some time as they try to resprout. I would be suprised if you can cook it. My goats won't even touch it and they are partial to a bit of onion. The problem here is it spreads like wildfire if allowed to bloom I made the mistake of letting it remain on my bush footpath and it has totally invaded it. Liz
OK you win Ron! This sounds almost worse than white bluebells, but actually the thought of cooking them does prompt a thought about how to get rid of them - if you weed up the bulbs, cook them and compost them - then they won't resprout.
Most of the Bluebells that are weediest, are neither English nor Spanish: but hybrids. Such hybrids demonstrate supreme toughness, grow larger, and often set seeds. (Their botanical name is Hyacinthoides x massartiana Geerinck 1996) http://www.arthurleej.com/a-bluebell.html
Re climate. No wonder they love it here. Like yr idea Karin L of cooking them. I sort of do that by default when I lay them out on a piece of roofing iron in the sun. Used to do this with oxalis as well. I actually have the English blue bell as well and untill the white monster flowers it is a bit difficult to weed them out given the large area I have to weed. I am getting there. Liz
This is what happens to the onion weeds... They really stink. There are still some little thin ones in the ground. I will have to pull them out later. I wish I could sell them to some local Chinese restaurant. :) I have been looking for Chinese Leek to grow for a while. Too bad these aren't Chinese Leek. Thanks everyone again.
Nice healthy ones :) now is definatley the time to tackle them while the stems are strong and don't just break off and the bulb stays put to re offend. Good luck hope your patch is small. By the way snow drops are bell shaped white with little green dots around edge. http://www.hsoc.org.au/pages/galanthus.htm Liz