Ramsons - Wild Garlic
Restore the strength of your inner bear!
The latin name is Allium ursinum being derived from “ursus” (bear) and according to folk tales, bears would consume this plant after coming out of hibernation to remove toxins from the body and to regain strength (1).
Remarkably this plant gets going very early in the spring (well before many other plants) and secretes compounds through its roots to slow the growth of roots of other plants around it. It carpets huge areas in an edible layer of leaves, that are a welcome sight for most creatures coming out of cold, harsh winters. Interestingly it suppresses the growth of other plants and then dies back as summer encroaches, allowing other plants to take its place....until next year. The shed leaves provide welcome food to earthworms and other organisms in the soil, as well as shielding the soil from sunlight and supporting the retention of moisture as the weather gets drier through adding to the organic matter in the soil.
Suggested Use
A wild member of the onion family, this delicious and versatile leaf can be used in place of chives or leeks in any recipe.
You can just use it as a salad leaf and eat it raw, or you can cook it in the same way as you would spinach.
Ref:
1. https://jcea.agr.hr/articles/773987_Evaluation_and_comparison_of_the_content_of_total_polyphenols_and_antioxidant_activity_of_selected_species_of_the_genus_Allium_en.pdf
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