Society Garlic
by Mary Jane Armstrong
Title
Society Garlic
Artist
Mary Jane Armstrong
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This textured image is of a South Africian native plant called "Society Garlic."
The flowers and leaves are edible raw. The peppery leaves can be used like garlic in salads and other dishes. The flowers are on the peppery sweet side, onion-ish. The bulbs, however, are more medicinal though there are reports of them being eaten as well. A native of South Africa it is a favored food and medicine of the Zulus. The botanical name is Tulbaghia violacea (tool-BAG-ee-uh vee-oh-LAY-see-ay or vie-oh-LAY-see-ay) Tulbaghia honors Ryk Tulbagh, 1699-1771, governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Violacea means violet-like, referring to the blossom.
One of the odd aspects of the most of the plants in the genus is that they are pollinated by moths at night when the plant manages to be lightly scented. T. violacea however is scented in the day and pollinated by bees and butterflies. (Moths are out only at night and butterflies only in the day.)
It�s called Society Garlic because Dutch settlers to South Africa thought it was a more polite spice to use for flavoring dishes than true garlic particularly for social events. Oh� and alliacea� (al-lee-AY-see-uh) means like onions.
Uploaded
August 8th, 2013
Statistics
Viewed 680 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/18/2024 at 2:42 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet