Garlic (scientific name Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium.

Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion. With a history of several thousand years of human consumption and use, garlic is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, and has long been a common seasoning worldwide. It was known to Ancient Egyptians, and has been used both as a food flavoring and as a traditional medicine.