Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit:
Size Class: 0-1 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: NB , NS , ON , QC
Native Distribution: W. N.B. & s. Que. to ND, s. to New England, MD, mts. to GA & TN, IL & MO
Native Habitat: Rich, deciduous upland & floodplain woods
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Rich, mesic soils.
Conditions Comments: Grows best where there is sunny condition during early spring. Crushed foliage and bulb have strong onion flavor and may be eaten. Some Allium species can become weedy in warmer climates.

Benefit

Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: Leaves, bulbs and bulblets. Field garlic (A. vineale) is too strong for most tastes. Gather leaves during spring and fall. Gather bulbs in the second year when they are large enough to use like cultivated onions. Flower stem bulblets are collected during the summer. Use as domestic onions, for seasoning or raw in salads. Bulbs can be used raw, boiled, pickled or for seasoning. Their strong taste can be reduced by parboiling and discarding the water. To freeze onions or garlic, one should coarsely chop, blanch two minutes, drain, pat dry and place them into plastic bags. The bulbs can also be dried for use as seasoning. Use flower bulbs to flavor soup or for pickling. (Poisonous Plants of N.C.)

In late April, before flowering, the people of the Great Smoky Mountains gather these plants for their annual Ramp Festival. The foliage and bulbs can be used in salads and soups. First Nations People treated insect stings with juice from the crushed bulbs. (Niering)
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: All parts but causes only low toxicity if eaten; can be safely eaten in small amounts, large quantities not recommended. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Toxic Principle: Sulfides. (Niering)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Description: Stratified seed or division. Plant seeds 1/4 in. deep outdoors and transplant the small bulbs the following summer, setting them 1-1 1/2 in. deep. Mature bulbs produce offsets which can be divided in the summer. Plant them 1 1/2 in. deep and cover with
Seed Collection: Collect seeds as soon as they become exposed in the summer.
Seed Treatment: Two months of cold-moist stratification if stored or planted in indoor flats.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery - Orefield, PA
Amandas Garden - Springwater, NY
American Native Nursery - Quakertown, PA

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA

Bibliography

Bibref 902 - Ex situ plant conservation : supporting species survival in the wild (2004) Guerrant, E. O.; K. Havens; M. Maunder
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

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From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1994 VOL. 11, NO.6 - Wildflower Center Featured Non-Profit in Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, Dana Leav...

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Allium tricoccum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Allium tricoccum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Allium tricoccum