Plant profile
Garlic vine
Mansoa alliacea
Also known as Garlic creeper, Ajos sacha.
Garlic vine is a woody tropical climber with lavender flowers that fade almost white. Crush the leaves and they smell strongly of garlic.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical
- Lifecycle
- Evergreen woody tropical climber
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Usually 2–5 m on a support, potentially larger in tropical conditions
- Spacing
- About 1.5–2.5 m apart
- Growth habit
- Woody tendril-climbing vine that can also be pruned as a shrub
- Native range
- Lesser Antilles to tropical South America
- Natural habitat
- Wet tropical forest, where it grows as a climbing woody vine.
When to plant
Tropical
February–May, September–November
Subtropical
March–May, September–November
Temperate
September–November
Mediterranean
September–November
Tropical and subtropical: plant during warm weather with reliable moisture.
Planting
Plant beside a sturdy trellis, pergola or fence. Water regularly while the roots establish and guide young stems onto the support.
Position and light
Full sun to part shade. Strong light gives the best flowering.
Soil
Fertile, free-draining soil with organic matter.
Watering
Water regularly while establishing and during dry weather. Established vines handle short dry periods.
Feeding
Compost and a light balanced feed during active growth are usually enough.
Pruning
Prune after flowering to keep the vine on its support and remove long wandering stems. It can also be maintained as a large shrub with regular cutting.
Harvest
Leaves are used traditionally as a garlic-flavoured herb in parts of its native range, but it is mainly grown as an ornamental in Australia.
Propagation
Semi-hardwood cuttings and layering are reliable and keep a good flower colour true to the parent plant. Seed can also be used where fruit develops, though seedlings may vary slightly in flower shade.
Common problems
Scale and mealybugs may occur. Dense growth can become heavy on weak supports.
Safety notes
Not a substitute for culinary garlic unless you are certain of the plant's identity and intended use.
Worth knowing
The flowers change colour as they age, so one cluster can carry deep lavender, pale lavender and near-white flowers at the same time. Give Garlic vine a support sized for the mature vine; expect it to reach 2–5 m on a support, potentially larger in tropical conditions. It grows as a woody tendril-climbing vine that can also be pruned as a shrub, so putting the support in place early is easier than trying to untangle established stems later.
Grow Garlic vine with Brancho
Add it to My Garden and Brancho works out what it needs next, timed for your climate.
How it grows around Australia
Growing this too? Share what you've noticed in your garden.
Grow a Little Wild
New plants to try, useful growing tips and a few garden jobs based on what you grow.