Allium tricoccum (commonly known as ramps, ramson, wildleek, wood leek, or wild garlic) is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family Amaryllidaceae. It is a North American species of wild onion or garlic found in eastern North America. Ramps, ramsons or wildleeks, are one of the earliest wild edibles to emerge, and, for some, they're the holy grail of wild edibles. Ramps, also known as wild garlic or wildleeks, (Allium triccocum, and Allium burdickii) where I live, are a delicious wild vegetable and one of Nature's greatest gifts to foragers. Read on and I'll break down everything you need to know about them. Ramps (a.k.a. wildleeks or Allium tricoccum) are part of the allium family, which includes other vegetables like chives, garlic, leeks, scallions, and shallots. How do WildLeeksgrow? WildLeeks are a slow-growing perennial plant in the onion family, native to the hardwood forests of Northeastern North America. Leeks are an ephemeral species similar to Trilliums. They grow, flower, and set seeds in a few short weeks in early spring. Ramps (Allium tricoccum), also called wildleeks, grow on damp slopes in deciduous woods before spring leaf-out, which perfectly describes the western Catskills in April. Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are a perennial species of wild onion with a strong onion or garlic flavor. The ramp plant is wildgrowing in some areas and is also called wildleek, wild garlic, or ramsons. Entry #408, Ramps: a member of the Allium plant genus that features a tender white bulb and slender stem. Also known as the wildleek or spring onion, the ramp is significant to food snobs because it heralds the start of the spring growing season. People in Appalachia, its native habitat, call the plants "ramps." Elsewhere, they're known as wildleeks. An increase in demand from food-savvy consumers and its short, three-week growing season has led to a scarcity of this traditionally foraged vegetable. How to GrowWildLeekRamps. Ramps are traditionally a foraged. food and not cultivated -- that is until fairly recently. Ramps can be found at many farmers' markets grown by local farmers.
