Allium roseum

Allium roseum, commonly called rosy garlic, is an edible, Old World species of wild garlic. It is native to the Mediterranean region and nearby areas, with a natural range extending from Portugal and Morocco to Turkey and the Palestine region. It is cultivated widely, and has become naturalised in scattered locations in other regions outside its natural range.

Description

An onion family plant. It is a bulb plant. It grows 60 cm high and spreads 8 cm wide. It forms a bulb and keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are thin and like chive leaves. There are 2-4 leaves. They have a keel. They sheath the lower fifth of the flower stalk. The bract around the flowers is single with 3-4 lobes. It is papery and remains on the stalk. The flowers are red to white. They are bell shaped and 7-12 mm long. They are borne on equal length stalks in a group up to 7 cm across. It forms bulbils.

Edible Uses

The bulbs, measuring 10–15mm in diameter, can be eaten raw or cooked and work well as a garlic substitute, adding flavour to salads and cooked dishes. The leaves are edible raw or cooked, with a mild garlic flavour that makes a pleasant addition to salads or a useful seasoning in cooked foods. The flowers are eaten raw and make a very attractive garnish on salads, with a pleasant mild garlic flavour. The bulbils are also edible raw or cooked — very small and somewhat fiddly to use, but they share the same pleasant mild garlic flavour.

Traditional Uses

It is used as a spice or flavouring. The bulbs are eaten raw in salads and also boiled.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

No specific medicinal uses have been recorded for this species, but members of this genus are generally considered very healthy additions to the diet. They contain sulphur compounds (responsible for their onion flavour) which, when eaten regularly, help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system, and support the circulatory system.

Known Hazards

Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.

Distribution

It is a temperate or Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in grassy and bushy places and on dry ground. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Australia, Balkans, Britain, China, Crete, Croatia, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Mediterranean, Morocco, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily, Spain, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Easily grown in a warm sunny position in a light well-drained soil. Only hardy in the milder parts of Britain, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. A very ornamental plant. There are several named forms. The sub-species A. roseum bulbiferum produces a few sterile flowers and many bulbils on its flowering stem. This form will probably spread freely and perhaps escape from cultivation. The sub-species A. roseum roseum does not produce bulbils. Both forms produce numerous bulblets around the base of the main bulb. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a cold frame. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle — placing three plants per pot will produce clumps more quickly. Grow on in the greenhouse for at least the first winter, then plant out into permanent positions in spring once growing vigorously. Division in spring is also very easy; plants can be divided successfully at any point during the growing season and the divisions planted straight out into their permanent positions if needed.

Other Uses

The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is also said to repel insects and moles.

Notes

There are about 300-700 Allium species. Most species of Allium are edible (Flora of China). All alliums are edible but they may not all be worth eating! They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Agghiu sarvaggiu, Ajo porro, Azoul, Bsal barri, Gazoul, Korrath, Korrita, Porru, Tallaghouda, Toum lberry, Yazoul

References (27)

• Ben Ismail, H., 2013, Edible Wild Vegetables Used in North West of Tunisia. PARIPEX - Indian Journal of Reearch 2(9) :219-221
• Biscotti, N. et al, 2018, The traditional food use of wild vegetables in Apulia (Italy) in the light of Italian ethnobotanical literature. Italian Botanist 5:1-24
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 485
• Blanco-Salas, J., et al, 2019, Wild Plants Potentially Used in Human Food in the Protected Area “Sierra Grande de Hornachos” of Extremadura (Spain). Sustainability 2019, 11, 456
• Boesi, A., 2014, Traditional knowledge of wild food plants in a few Tibetan communities. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 10:75

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