Crow Poison

Other common names: false garlic, wild garlic, yellow false garlic

Nothoscordum bivalve  (pronounced noth-oh-SKOR-dum  by-VALve)

Lily Family - Liliaceae

Full Sun to Partial Shade

HEIGHT: 6" - 12"

PROPAGATION: Bulbs

HABIT:   Blooms white to near white all growing season. Crow poison looks much like wild onion but does not have the onion smell.  This early spring to fall flower is one of the first to appear on lawns, meadows, or roadsides throughout much of the country. It grows from a bulb and looks much like the wild onion, but has fewer and larger flowers on long stems and lacks the onion odor. The leaves are all at the base of the plant, about 1/8 inch wide, but often quite long, 4–15 inches. The white flowers have 6 petals with a green to brown stripe, and 6 stamens. Individual flowers are ½ - 1 inch across and grow in loose clusters on stalks 8–16 inches tall. It is an upright perennial with a white flower about 1 inch in diameter and has six petals.

LEAVES: Wild onion leaves have a U-shaped valley along their length and feel succulent, whereas crow poison leaves have a V-shaped valley and are more grass-like in texture. Crow poison leaves tend to be longer and narrower compared to wild onion leaves. Wild onion leaves typically form a basal rosette emerging directly from the bulb. Crow poison leaves can be easily folded over along their length due to the V-notch, while wild onion leaves are more difficult to fold. Wild onion leaves often have a slight bluish tinge, while crow poison leaves are generally a vibrant green.

NATIVE HABITAT: Lawns, disturbed areas, open slopes, roadsides, prairies, and open woodlands. Found in various soils from sand to clay. It grows in most soil types and blooms in the spring and the fall.

NOTES: This plant may be considered a protected species; check before digging or gathering seeds. Suitable for growing in containers. This plant is mildly poisonous and should not be tasted. Wild onion that looks almost the same has a strong onion fragrance when crushed; crow poison does not. Control with soil improvement and organic herbicides.

  Crow poison (left) and wild onion. 

Distinguishing Crow Poison from Garlic and Onion plants

Crow poison (Nothoscordum bivalve) and wild onions (Allium species) have several key differences, despite their similar appearance:

FRAGRANCE: The most important distinction is the smell. Wild onions have a distinctive onion or garlic odor when crushed, while crow poison smells like grass.

SIZE: Crow poison tends to be smaller (around 8" tall), while wild onions are sometimes taller (over 1 foot).

BULB CHARACTERISTICS: When dug up, crow poison will have a cluster of attached bulbs underground. Wild onion and garlic have one swollen bulb.

TOXICITY: Wild onions are edible and safe to consume, while crow poison contains weak toxins that can cause stomach upset if consumed in large quantities.

FLOWER COLOR: Wild onions typically have pink or white flowers, while crow poison usually has white flowers.

  Crow poison bulb (left) and wild garlic bulb (right). Similar enough that don't ID just
  by type of bulb. Smell it. 

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