A spring ephemeral wild onion with broad bright green leaves and intensely flavored bulbs. Treasured by foragers; over-harvest has led to population concerns in some regions.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
An inclined plane, also known as a ramp, is a flat supporting surface tilted at an angle from the vertical direction, with one end higher than the other, used as an aid for raising or lowering a load. The inclined plane is one of the six classical simple machines defined by Renaissance scientists. Inclined planes are used to move heavy loads over vertical obstacles. Examples vary from a ramp used to load goods into a truck, to a person walking up a pedestrian ramp, to an automobile or railroad train climbing a grade.
Source: Wikipedia — Inclined plane Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Spring ephemeral with broad smooth lily-like leaves; bulbs strong onion-garlic smell when crushed.
Similar species. Other Allium species (different leaf shapes).
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Spring wild allium of eastern forests. Edible bulbs and leaves traditionally harvested by Appalachian communities. Slow-growing; overharvesting has caused regional declines.
§ Range
Eastern North America (Appalachian regions)
§ Habitat
Mature deciduous forests, rich moist slopes
§ Threats
Over-harvest by foragers, forest loss, deer browsing.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the ramps (wild leek) is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Harvest no more than 5–10% of a single patch. Cut leaves above bulbs; leave bulbs in soil. Buy nursery-grown.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Inclined plane
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Allium tricoccum
- iNaturalist · taxon 75899
- IUCN Red List — search for Allium tricoccum
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Allium tricoccum
§ Sources cited
- USDA Plants Database
- United Plant Savers
