Amaryllidaceae
Garlic
Allium sativum
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Allium
Pets and kids
- CatsToxic
- DogsToxic
- KidsMildly toxic
Why
Cats: Toxic
Toxic to cats (severe). Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide.
Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, high heart rate.
Dogs: Toxic
Toxic to dogs (severe). Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide.
Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, panting.
- Onion, Garlic, Chive, and Leek Toxicity in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals Veterinary reference
Kids: Mildly toxic
Mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide.
Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, high heart rate.
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Is Garlic safe for cats, dogs and kids?
Is Garlic safe for cats?
No. Our sources call Garlic toxic to cats (severe). Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide. Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, high heart rate.
Is Garlic safe for dogs?
No. Our sources call Garlic toxic to dogs (severe). Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide. Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, panting.
- Onion, Garlic, Chive, and Leek Toxicity in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals Veterinary reference
Is Garlic safe for kids?
No. Our sources call Garlic mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: N-propyl disulfide. Signs: vomiting, hemolytic anemia, blood in urine, weakness, high heart rate.
Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.
See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.
Similar names and close relatives
A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.
- Chives Allium schoenoprasumsame genusCats: Toxic; Dogs: Toxic; Kids: Safe
- Onion Allium cepasame genusCats: Toxic; Dogs: Toxic; Kids: Safe
- Ramsons Allium ursinumsame genusCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
- Shallot Allium ascalonicumsame genusCats: Toxic; Dogs: Toxic; Kids: Not sure
- Welsh onion Allium fistulosumsame genusCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
Common names
By language (208)
- aeb
- Th'oum, ثوم
- Afrikaans
- Knoffel
- Albanian
- Hudhra
- Amharic
- ነጭ ሽንኩርት
- ang
- Garleac
- Arabic
- ثوم, الثوم
- Armenian
- Սխտոր
- arz
- توم
- Assamese
- নহৰু, লহুন, ৰঘুন, ৰচুন, ৰহুন
- Asturian
- Ayu
- Aymara
- Ajusa
- azb
- ساریمساق
- Azerbaijani
- Sarımsaq
- ba
- Һарымһаҡ
- Bambara
- Tumɛ
- ban
- Kesuna
- Bangla
- রসুন
- bar
- Knofe
- Basque
- Baratxuri, Berakatz
- Belarusian
- Часнок, Часнык
- bi
- Galik, Lae
- bik
- Bawang
- bjn
- Bawang putih
- bo
- སྒོག་ལོག
- Bosnian
- Bijeli luk
- Breton
- Kignen
- Bulgarian
- Чесън
- Burmese
- ကြက်သွန်ဖြူ
- Cantonese
- 蒜頭
- Catalan
- All, Alls
- cdo
- Sáung-tàu
- ce
- КӀонцерг
- Central Kurdish
- سیر
- Chinese
- 大蒜, 蒜, 蒜（大蒜）, 蒜头, 蒜瓣, 蒜苔, 蒜薹, 蒜頭
- Corsican
- Aglia, Adda, Agliu
- Croatian
- Češnjak, Bijeli luk
- cv
- Ыхра
- Czech
- Česnek kuchyňský, Česnek setý
- dag
- Tafarinom
- Danish
- Hvidløg, Hvid-Løg
- Divehi
- ލޮނުމެދު
- dsb
- Pšawy kobołk
- Dutch
- Knoflook
- English
- Garlic, Cultivated garlic, Garlic plant, Hardneck garlic, Softneck garlic, Korean pickled-peel garlic
- Esperanto
- Ajlo
- Estonian
- Küüslauk, Kiblok, Purokese
- Faroese
- Hvítleykur, Geirleykur
- Filipino
- Bawang, Garlic
- Finnish
- Valkosipuli, Kynsilaukka
- fon
- Ayo
- French
- Ail, Ail commun, Ail cultivé, Ail blanc, Ail cultive, Ail frais, Ail nouveau, Ail rose
- frr
- Knooplook
- fur
- Ai
- gag
- Sarmısak
- Galician
- Allo
- Ganda
- Emisuwa egikaluba
- Georgian
- Ნიორი
- German
- Knoblauch, Knofi, Rockenbolle, Schlangenknoblauch
- gor
- Piya
- grc
- Σκόρδον, Σκόροδον
- Greek
- Σκόρδο, Άλλιον το ήμερον
- Guarani
- Áho, Ajo
- Gujarati
- લસણ
- gv
- Garleid, Garleyd
- Haitian Creole
- Lay
- Hausa
- Tafarnuwa
- Hebrew
- שום, שום הגינה
- Hindi
- लहसुन, एलियम सैटिवम
- hsb
- Prawy kobołk, Kobołk
- Hungarian
- Fokhagyma
- hyw
- Սխտոր
- Icelandic
- Hvítlaukur, Geirlaukur
- Indonesian
- Bawang putih
- inh
- Саьмарсаькх
- Interlingua
- Allio
- io
- Alio
- Irish
- Gairleog
- Italian
- Aglio
- Japanese
- ニンニク, にんにく, ガーリック, タイサン, 大蒜, 葫
- Javanese
- Bawang, Bawang putih
- kaa
- Sarımsaq
- kab
- Tiskart
- Kannada
- ಬೆಳ್ಳುಳ್ಳಿ
- Kazakh
- Сарымсақ
- kcg
- A̱gurma a̱nfwuong
- kge
- Bawang Handak
- Khmer
- ខ្ទឹមស
- Konkani
- Losun
- Korean
- 마늘, 조선마늘
- krc
- Сарсмакъ, Сарымсах
- ks
- رۄہن
- Kurdish
- Sîr, Sîrim, سیرم
- kw
- Kennin ewinek
- Kyrgyz
- Сарымсак
- lah
- تھوم, لسن
- Lao
- ຜັກທຽມ
- Latvian
- Ķiploks, Ķiploki
- lbe
- Лаччи
- li
- Witlouk, Knoeflouk, Knoeplouk
- lij
- Aggio
- Lithuanian
- Valgomasis česnakas
- Luxembourgish
- Knuewelek, Knuewlek
- lzh
- 蒜, 大蒜, 葫, 蒜頭
- Macedonian
- Лук, A, Aglia, Ahus, Ail cultivé, Alho, All, Allo
- mad
- Bhâbâng potè, Bâng potè
- Maithili
- लह्सुन
- Malagasy
- Tongolo gasy, Tongologasy, Tongolonkova
- Malay
- Bawang putih
- Malayalam
- വെളുത്തുള്ളി, Garlic, വെള്ളുള്ളി
- Maltese
- Tewm
- Manipuri
- ꯆꯅꯝ
- Marathi
- लसूण, लसुण
- min
- Dasun
- mnc
- ᠰᡠᠸᠴᠠᠨᡩᠠ
- mnw
- လသိုန်ဗတာင်
- Mongolian
- Саримс
- mwl
- Alho
- myv
- Пейнечурька
- mzn
- سیر
- nah
- Caxtillān xōnacatl
- nan
- Soàn-thâu, Sòan-thâu
- nap
- Àglio
- Nepali
- लसुन
- new
- लाभा
- Norwegian Bokmål
- Hvitløk, Kvitløk
- Norwegian Nynorsk
- Kvitlauk, Kvitløk
- nv
- Tłʼohchin díchʼííʼí, Tłʼohchin díchʼíʼí
- Occitan
- Alh cultivat
- Odia
- ରସୁଣ, Garlic
- olo
- Čosnokku
- os
- Нуры, Бодæн
- pam
- Bawang, Bauang
- pap
- Konofló, Konoflok
- Pashto
- هوږه
- pcd
- Al
- Persian
- سیر
- pms
- Ai
- Polish
- Czosnek pospolity, Czosnek zwyczajny
- Portuguese
- Alho, Alho-ordinário
- Punjabi
- ਲਸਣ, ਥੋਮ
- Quechua
- Ahus, Ajo, Ajos, Ajus, Asnaq pulla
- roa
- Aglie
- rom
- Sir
- Romanian
- Usturoi
- rsk
- Цеснок
- ruq
- Al'
- Russian
- Чеснок, Лук посевной, Лук чеснок, Лук-чеснок
- sah
- Чочунаах
- Sanskrit
- लशुनम्
- sat
- ᱨᱟ.ᱥᱩᱬ
- sc
- Azu
- scn
- Agghia, Agghiu
- sco
- Garlic
- Scottish Gaelic
- Creamh
- se
- Vilgeslávki
- Serbian
- Beli luk, Бели лук, Бијели лук, Чешњак
- Serbian (Latin)
- Češnjak, Beli luk, Bijeli luk
- sgs
- Česnags
- shi
- Tiskrt
- shn
- ၽၵ်းမီႇႁေႃ, မီႇၽိူၵ်ႇၶၢဝ်
- Sindhi
- ٿوم
- Sinhala
- සුදු ලූනු
- sjd
- Че̄сснэххк
- sje
- Vellgislöhkka
- skr
- تھوم
- Slovak
- Cesnak kuchynský
- Slovenian
- Česen
- sma
- Veelkes-lööke, Veelkeslööke
- smj
- Vielggisløhkka, Bieddjisløhkka
- smn
- Vielgissipuli
- sms
- Viõʹlǧǧesluukk
- Somali
- Toon
- Spanish
- Ajo, Ajo andaluz, Ajo castanuelo, Ajo castañuelo, Ajo castellano, Ajo comun, Ajo comun y hortense que se come, Ajo común
- srn
- Kunofroku
- Sundanese
- Bawang bodas
- Swahili
- Kitunguu saumu
- Swedish
- Vitlök, Vit lök, Vitlökssås
- syl
- ꠞꠃꠘ
- Tajik
- Сирпиёз
- Tamil
- பூண்டு
- Tatar
- Сарымсак
- tcy
- ಬೊಳ್ಳುಳಿ
- Telugu
- వెల్లుల్లి, వెల్లుల్లిపాయలు
- Thai
- กระเทียม, กระเทียมขาว
- Turkish
- Sarımsak, Sarmısak
- Turkmen
- Sarymsak
- tyv
- Чеснок
- Ukrainian
- Часник
- Urdu
- لہسن, Garlic, لاسن, لسسن, لسن, لیسن, گارلک
- Uyghur
- سامساق
- Uzbek
- Sarimsoq
- vec
- Ajo, Àgio
- vep
- Künz'lauk
- Vietnamese
- Tỏi
- vls
- Look
- vo
- Läl
- Walloon
- A
- war
- Lasona
- Welsh
- Garlleg
- Western Frisian
- Knyflok
- Wolof
- Laac
- wuu
- 蒜
- xal
- Сәрмсг
- xmf
- Ნიორი
- Yiddish
- קנאָבל
- za
- Suenq
- Zulu
- UmVithu
- zza
- Sir, Sirım
Synonyms
- Allium arenarium Sadler ex Rchb.
- Allium controversum Schrad. ex Willd.
- Allium longicuspis Regel
- Allium ophioscorodon Link
- Allium pekinense Prokh.
- Allium sativum f. asiae-mediae Kazakova
- Allium sativum f. pekinense (Prokh.) Makino
- Allium sativum f. sagittatum Kazakova
- Allium sativum f. vulgare Kazakova
- Allium sativum subsp. asiaemediae Kazakova
- Allium sativum subsp. controversum (Schrad. ex Willd.) K.Richt.
- Allium sativum subsp. ophioscorodon (Link) Schübl. & G.Martens
- Allium sativum subsp. subrotundum (Gren. & Godr.) K.Richt.
- Allium sativum var. controversum (Schrad. ex Willd.) Nyman
- Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon (Link) Döll
- Allium sativum var. pekinense (Prokh.) F.Maek.
- Allium sativum var. sagittatum Kazakova
- Allium sativum var. sativum
- Allium sativum var. subrotundum Gren. & Godr.
- Allium sativum var. vulgare Kazakova
- Allium scorodoprasum subsp. viviparum (Regel) K.Richt.
- Allium scorodoprasum var. multibulbillosum Y.N.Lee
- Allium scorodoprasum var. viviparum Regel
- Porrum ophioscorodon (Link) Rchb.
- Porrum sativum (L.) Rchb.
Flowers
- In flower
- July to August (from 17 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced
Plant problems
Photos
FlowerPhoto: Reuven Martin, CC0, from iNaturalist 
FruitPhoto: Geoffrey Carter, CC0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Юрий Данилевский (Yuriy Danilevsky), CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: KP Laer, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Aenet Anthony, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: dondestanna, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: vincent lamoine, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Sandy Wolkenberg, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Maria Murgu, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Jay Pruett, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Alberto Barison, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
More in Allium
- ChivesAllium schoenoprasumAmaryllidaceae
- OnionAllium cepaAmaryllidaceae
- RamsonsAllium ursinumAmaryllidaceae
- ShallotAllium ascalonicumAmaryllidaceae
- Welsh onionAllium fistulosumAmaryllidaceae
- Broadleaf wild leekAllium ampeloprasumAmaryllidaceae
- Chinese chivesAllium tuberosumAmaryllidaceae
- Wild garlicAllium vinealeAmaryllidaceae
- Sand leekAllium scorodoprasumAmaryllidaceae
- RakkyoAllium chinenseAmaryllidaceae
- Field garlicAllium oleraceumAmaryllidaceae
- Victory onionAllium victorialisAmaryllidaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.