Bear's Garlic - Allium ursinum

Wild Garlic, allium ursinum, or Ramsons, is a small perennial woodland bulb that naturalises easily. It has large, narrow leaves, and from April to June, it displays a charming flowering in white umbels. It is a very ancient culinary and medicinal plant whose bulb, flower buds, and leaves are consumed. It can be harvested from January to October.

Wild Garlic is a European species that grows spontaneously in woodlands, and like cultivated garlic, it belongs to the lily family. It is hardy and perennial, at least at -15°C (5°F). It is a bulbous plant with an erect habit, reaching 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8in) in height. It bears narrow, petiolate leaves at the base of its stem. It flowers in spherical white umbels that are slightly yellowish from April to June, depending on the region. It is a deciduous plant that completely disappears at the end of spring.

All parts of the plant are edible, including the bulb, flower buds, and leaves. It can be cooked as a vegetable, boiled like spinach, or used as a condiment to enhance salads, soups, etc. Wild Garlic can also be used to make infusions.

Wild Garlic has numerous benefits: it contains a lot of vitamin C and is detoxifying, hypotensive, and antiseptic, among other things. In the garden, Wild Garlic thrives in shady or semi-shady areas with moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. It can be grown in the vegetable garden and shaded areas, forming a beautiful ground cover.

Harvesting: It can be harvested over a long period, from January to October. However, don't be too greedy as it reproduces through its bulbs, so leaving some in place is essential to allow it to multiply.

Storage: The leaves can be dried and stored in a dark, dry place.

Gardener's tip: Before its characteristic flowering, Wild Garlic can be mistaken for several highly toxic plants such as Lily of the Valley, Autumn Crocus, and Arum. Wait a bit, or trust your nose: only Allium ursinum has a garlic odour.

Note: Wild Garlic is a bulbous plant that goes dormant at the end of spring. Its green foliage gradually turns yellow and disappears at the end of spring, only to reappear in late winter.