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Is Allium chinense (Xie Bai) wild onion or wild garlic?

May 13, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, Allium macrostemon is neither wild onion nor wild garlic. Allium macrostemon is an independent plant species that belongs to the Allium genus in the Liliaceae family in plant taxonomy. In terms of appearance, the Allium macrostemon plant is generally short, with slender cylindrical hollow leaves, distinguishing it from wild onion and wild garlic. Wild onion leaves are usually flat, while wild garlic leaves, although also cylindrical, differ from those of Allium macrostemon.

Generally speaking, Allium macrostemon is neither wild onion nor wild garlic. The detailed explanation is as follows:

Allium macrostemon is an independent plant species that belongs to the Allium genus of the Liliaceae family in botanical taxonomy. In terms of appearance, the Allium macrostemon plant is usually relatively short, with slender cylindrical hollow leaves, distinguishing it from wild onion and wild garlic. The leaves of wild onion are usually flat, while those of wild garlic are also cylindrical but generally thicker than those of Allium macrostemon.

The bulb of Allium macrostemon is nearly spherical, with a black, papery or membranous outer layer, which differs from the bulb morphology and outer characteristics of both wild onion and wild garlic. Regarding taste and odor, Allium macrostemon has a unique flavor—piquant with a hint of sweetness—and a strong aroma distinctly different from that of wild onion and wild garlic. Wild onion has a sharper, more pungent flavor, while wild garlic has a stronger garlicky scent. Additionally, Allium macrostemon has functions such as promoting yang circulation to resolve nodules and regulating qi to relieve stagnation. It is commonly used to treat conditions such as chest pain due to heart blockage, abdominal distension and pain, and tenesmus in diarrhea, differing from the medicinal applications of wild onion and wild garlic.

Although Allium macrostemon, wild onion, and wild garlic share some similarities in appearance and all belong to the Allium genus, each has distinct morphological characteristics and uses, and thus cannot be simply equated. In practical applications, selections should be made according to their respective characteristics.

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