Abstract The chemical composition of the volatile compounds from aerial parts of Tulbaghia violacea Harv. was studied by GC and GC/-MS. Ninety-three compounds were identified, many of them were sulphur compounds. Major volatiles were bis(methylythiomethyl) disulfide (48.2 % of the total composition) and methyl-2-thioethyl thiomethyl trisulfide (16.3 %).