Some kind of onion or garlic??

[Speedyturtle]

This just started growing in my raised bed & I'm not sure what it is. It seems to be some kind of onion or garlic, but the root kinda looks like ginger to me while the leaves don't look like ginger leaves.

I tried looking up images but couldn't find a match to be sure.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Does the leaf actually smell of onion or garlic? That deep ridge down the center of the leaf is more reminiscent of something like a wood rush, but the root is wrong. Maybe some sort of iris ? A day lily is a good match. I think you might have to wait for a flower to be certain.

 

[Speedyturtle]

I broke off a leaf tip & smelled it; doesn't smell at all like garlic or onion! It had little to no scent (not even a grassy smell) and actually had a hint of mild sweetness.

I looked up both iris & day lily roots, and they don't seem to match. Maybe I'll dig it up during the day to see how it looks & post some pics.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Iris come as bulbous or rhizome rooted varieties and there is quite a bit of variation. Just that in a raised bed presumably it is imported soil and some sort of cultivated plant seems more likely, and I am from England, I know nothing about Micronesian native plants.

 

[Speedyturtle]

Oh, I see.
Flowering bulbs aren't native & we have strict import laws regarding bulbs, so I wasn't too hopeful about it being an iris or day lily. It'd be awesome if it does turn out to be one, though.

It's funny, because I initially pulled it out (when it was smaller & the root just looked like regular white roots, no rhizome/bulb) while weeding. But after a week it was still miraculously alive, so I planted it back in the soil.

Guess I'll just wait for it to flower like you mentioned. Will post pics if it survives rainy season. Thanks for replying!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Those import laws are a good idea when I look at the damage that some things like toads and beetles have already done. I started looking at your native plants, there are some really lovely ones, but Flax Lily caught my eye as a possible candidate ?

https://www.uog.edu/_resources/files/wptrc/Savana_Plants_ebook.pdf

 

[Speedyturtle]

Agreed, those laws are pretty important.

Oh, wow, wasn't expecting you to research local plants. Now I feel kinda bad lol... That does look like a good match, though. Lots of things on this chart that I never knew we had... Thank you so much!