This species is, in many ways, similar to the related A. canadense except that the rounded leaves are hollow and a few branching leaves emerge from the stem instead of all coming from the base.

The flower cluster may contain a mixture of a few pink or greenish flowers and purplish bulblets with long tails.

The bulblets are an asexual means of reproduction. The spathe below the flower head in A. vineale is made of only one part instead of being divided into three sections as in A. canadense. The underground bulb is 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The plant has a strong garlic taste but some people report an additional unpleasant aftertaste.

It is an introduced species from Europe and has become a troublesome weed in many parts of eastern and central North America. The shape of the leaves makes it resistant to herbicides. If cattle feed on it the resulting milk may have a garlic taste. It is also called crow garlic.