Wild Edible of the Week 52 "Three Cornered Leek"
Botanical name: Allium triquetrum
Common name: Three-Cornered Leek
Physical appearance: It has a flat, long leaf with a central ridge. The flower stem has a triangular cross section, giving the plant its name. A sheath covers the unopened flower. The white flowers hang in clusters, with a green stripe down the centre of each of their six petals.
Best places to find: Most commonly found in hedgerows, woodland edges, flowerbeds, verges and forest clearings. A native to the mediterranean so thrives best in milder conditions.
Edible parts: The whole plant is edible.
Time of year: In milder conditions, the plant can grow all year round.
Other uses : Can be used as you would wild garlic.
Point of caution: Do not confuse with snowdrops or bluebells, the three-cornered leek has a strong garlic scent which can help with identification.
Photos courtesy of
Meneerke Bloem and IceDragon64 via Wikipedia Creative Commons Attribution
