Three cornered garlic, Onion weed

Botanical Name	Allium triquetrum
Family	Liliaceae
Origin	Southwest Europe

Identification

Perennial clump with fleshy grass-like leaves and small snowdrop-like flowers growing from small bulbs. Clumps 200-500mm high. Both leaves and stalks are triangular in section and give a strong smell of garlic when crushed

Habitats

Forest and shrubland margins, roadsides, gardens, wasteland, dumps. Common throughout, especially on roadsides.

Impact to Biota and Ecosystems

Persistent and troublesome weed forming dense colonises. Clump size can quadruple each season.

Dispersal Routes, Vectors, Infestation Sources

Dispersal routes are mainly roadsides and sometimes farm hedges and railway lines. Vectors of dispersal are possibly hoofed animals, and probably graders, road maintenance machines etc. Sources of infestation were probably by dumping of garden rubbish containing bulbs.

Management

Management
Physical Control	Digging bulbs out is possible for small areas.
Disposal	Bulbs do not rot down. Do not compost or leave to mulch. Dispose of in land fill.
Chemical Control	Glyphosate 10ml/L or Amitrole 16ml/L or Metsulphuron 5gr/100L Use Glyphosate when spraying around desireable plants, such as in home gardens or orchards as residues from Amitrole and Metsulphuron may be harmful if sprayed or washed to their root zones.
Biological Control
Recommended Approach	Ensure follow up work is done to prevent re-infestation. Avoid using contaminated metal in track maintenance and eradicate plant from an area prior to roadworks being carried out to avoid spread.

Further Comment

Reputed to taint the milk if eaten by cows.