Allium triquetrum

Allium triquetrum is a bulbous flowering plant in the genus Allium native to the Mediterranean basin. It is known in English as three-cornered leek or three-cornered garlic, in Australia as angled onion, and in New Zealand as onion weed. Both the English name and the specific epithet triquetrum refer to the three-cornered shape of the flower stalks.

Description

An onion family plant. It is a plant which continues to grow from year to year by re-sprouting from the rootstock. It grows to 50 cm high and spreads 30 cm across. The stem is erect. The stem is triangular in cross section. The leaves are narrow and flat. They are 25 cm long and develop in a clump. The flower stem has a triangle shape. It has white flowers with 6 petals. These droop. They are on one side of the stalk. It has a garlic smell.

Edible Uses

The bulb is small — up to 20mm in diameter — with a mild garlic flavour suitable for use raw in salads or cooked as a flavouring. Harvest in early summer once the plant has died back; bulbs store well for at least 6 months. Leaves are available from late autumn through spring and make a good leek substitute. Young leaves are pleasant raw in salads, while older leaves work well cooked as a vegetable or flavouring. Their flavour is milder and more delicate than onion. The flowers can be eaten raw — juicy with a mild garlic taste, they serve as a tasty and decorative garnish on salads.

Traditional Uses

The bulbs are used in salads. They are also cooked. The young leaves are eaten. The flowers can be added to salads.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

No specific medicinal uses have been recorded for this species, but as a member of the Allium genus it is a generally beneficial addition to the diet. Like its relatives, it contains sulphur compounds responsible for its onion-like flavour. Eaten regularly, these compounds help lower blood cholesterol, support digestive health, and tone 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 very large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.

Distribution

It grows in temperate places. It is frost resistant but drought tender. It grows in damp, shaded places. In colder climates it needs well-drained positions. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Africa, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Britain, Europe, Falklands, France, Ireland, Italy, Mediterranean, Morocco, New Zealand, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily, South America, Spain, Tasmania, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil. Shade tolerant, it is easily grown in a cool leafy soil and grows well in light moist woodland. Plants are not very hardy outside the milder areas of Britain, they tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. The seeds have an oil-bearing appendage which is attractive to ants. The ants carry the seed away to eat the oil and then discard the seed, thus aiding dispersal of the plant. 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. The flowers are sweetly scented. The picked flowers can remain fresh for several weeks. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame, where it germinates quickly. Seedlings can be grown on under glass for the first year, then planted out as dormant bulbs in late summer of the following year if sufficiently developed — otherwise grow on in pots for another year. Stored seed can be sown in spring in a greenhouse. Alternatively, divide plants in summer after they have died down. Division is very easy and the offsets can be planted directly into their permanent positions.

Other Uses

The plant's juice can be used as a moth repellent, and the whole plant is said to deter insects and moles generally. The plant is also noted for its scent.

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! It can become invasive. They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Agghiu sarvaggiu, Angled onion, Purris, Pras e eger, Three cornered garlic, Toum lberry

References (28)

• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 485
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 66
• Curtis, W.M., & Morris, D.I., 1994, The Student's Flora of Tasmania. Part 4B St David's Park Publishing, Tasmania, p 392
• Dashorst, G.R.M., and Jessop, J.P., 1998, Plants of the Adelaide Plains & Hills. Botanic Gardens of Adelaide and State Herbarium. p 162
• Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 7

More from Amaryllidaceae

Allium perdulce

Plains onion, Fraser's onion

Allium platycaule

Broadstemmed onion

Allium platyspathum

Kamar

Allium plummerae

Tanner's canyon onion

Allium polyrhizum

Taan

Allium porrum

Leek, Garden leek