What is three-cornered garlic?

Three-cornered garlic is a bulbous flowering plant in the genus Allium. It produces stems 17–60 cm tall, which are concavely triangular in cross-section. Each stem produces an umbel of flowers in its peak months, January – May. The tepals are 10–18 mm long and white, but with a strong green line.

Each plant has two or three narrow, linear leaves, each up to 15 cm long. The leaves have a distinct onion smell when crushed.

• Where does it come from?

The plant is native to western and central Mediterranean and was originally introduced to the UK in 18th Century.

Can I make a claim if three-cornered garlic encroaches upon my property?

If you have noticed three-cornered garlic on your land, the origin of which is coming from a neighbour’s land, you may be able to recover compensation for any loss in value of your own land that is sustained. You may also be able to obtain a Court Order which specifies that your neighbour must put an appropriate treatment order in place.

Depending on the extent of the problem, the costs of this could run into thousands of pounds. The steps to remedy the issue may need to take place on your property or on neighbouring land.

If your land and agriculture has been damaged by the three-cornered garlic, you may be able to recover the costs of the repair work to the land. If your agricultural land is affected by harmful weeds from a neighbouring plot – Natural England may be able to help if your land is used for:

• Keeping or grazing horses and other livestock
• Farmland used to produce conserved forage (e.g., silage and hay)
• Agriculture

In severe cases, your land or industry may have lost value due to the presence of three-cornered garlic. This is called diminution. Subject to appropriate evidence being obtained from a specialist, you may be entitled to recover the cost of this diminution.