Wild Onion Flowers
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 06/12/24
Description/Taste
Wild Garlic serves both as an herb and vegetable, emerging from a plant adorned with white and light pink flowers. It has long, slender green leaves that resemble thick blades of grass sprouting from its base. These leaves form tall stalks that cluster into small groups, potentially reaching heights up to 46 centimeters. The star-shaped flowers of Wild Garlic sit atop the stalks, under which small aerial bulbs cluster together, enveloped in a brownish, papery skin. The leaves are smooth and tend to bend or curl as they mature. The plant's small, black, and slightly angular seeds are contained within a three-part capsule. This capsule splits open when it's mature, causing the seeds to disperse. Wild Garlic is known for its potent, garlic-like aroma, released when any part of the plant is crushed or bruised. The bulbs have a pungent onion flavor, contrasting with the milder green tops. The flowers, slightly more pungent than the leaves, intensify in flavor as the seeds develop and ripen.
Seasons/Availability
Wild Garlic is available from late spring to mid-summer.
Current Facts
Wild Garlic, scientifically known as Allium canadense, belongs to the extensive Allium family, which includes over 500 species. This plant is related to domesticated onions and garlic and goes by several names, including Canada Onion, Canadian Garlic, Meadow Garlic, and Wild Onion. Its strong scent is a key feature that helps distinguish Wild Garlic from a similar-looking but toxic plant known as Crow’s Poison, which lacks any odor. Although primarily valued for its culinary uses, Wild Garlic also has medicinal and ornamental applications. It is particularly attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, serving as an important food source. Smaller bees, such as onion bees, masked bees, mason bees, and plasterer bees, play a vital role in pollinating the Wild Garlic plant.
Nutritional Value
Like many other plants within the Allium family, Wild Garlic contains folic acid, or vitamin B9, which is important for DNA synthesis and repair in the human body. It’s also a source of vitamin K, which is known to support bone health and help prevent neuronal damage in the brain. Wild Garlic contains compounds that may reduce blood vessel stiffness, thereby aiding in blood pressure management. Garlic's sulfur-containing compounds are recognized for their health-promoting properties, including lowering cholesterol, aiding digestion, and improving circulatory health. The edible bulbs of Wild Garlic have been traditionally used to make teas for treating coughs and vomiting. Tinctures derived from Wild Garlic have been employed in herbal medicine to address worms, colic in children, and croup.
Applications
Wild Garlic flowers are best used raw due to their delicate structure. They are often used as a garnish or simply added to mixed salad greens. Fold them into bread or pasta dough to add a slight onion quality without being pungent. The flowers and leaves of Wild Garlic can be used in savory pancakes and raw herbal sauces such as pesto, salsa, or chimichurri. They complement potatoes, eggs, cream, ginger, lime, parsley, thyme, and mushrooms. Wild Garlic can be kept in an open plastic bag in the fridge or chopped and frozen for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The Cherokee Native Americans, renowned for their medicinal use of plants, utilized Wild Garlic and other aromatic herbs to address various diseases, ailments, and injuries. They employed Wild Garlic both as a diuretic and insect repellent. Inhabiting the southern Appalachian Mountain region, the Cherokee experienced significant territorial losses to European settlers during and after the American Revolution. Consequently, the knowledge and use of medicinal plants like Wild Garlic were adopted by European settlers in North America, integrating these indigenous practices into their own herbal medicine traditions.
Geography/History
Wild Garlic, native to eastern and central North America, thrives along the U.S. east coast, reaching as far south as Florida and as far west as Colorado, and has also been naturalized in Cuba. This adaptable plant flourishes in full sun and moist soil. Once established, Wild Garlic can withstand dry conditions, including dry shade, though it does not fare well in overly wet soil or standing water. Commonly found as a weed in lawns, meadows, woodlands, prairies, and disturbed areas like farm fields and roadsides, Wild Garlic spreads primarily through seeds, underground bulbs, and aerial bulblets. While cultivated in gardens for its ornamental beauty and culinary uses, Wild Garlic is not typically grown on a commercial scale but is often foraged from the wild.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Wild Onion Flowers. One
is easiest, three is harder.| The Vegan Larder |
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Easy Wild Garlic Hummus |
| Larder Love |
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The Best Wild Garlic Salt |
| Spice and Light |
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Wild Spice and Light |
| Rooted Food |
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Asparagus with Wild Onion and Umami |
