Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Wild Leek
(Ramps)
Allium tricoccum
[C-value
7]
Lily family (Liliaceae)
Blooms
mid-June - mid-July
The native Wild Leek is common in our area. It prefers dappled sunlight during the spring when the basal leaves develop, while during the summer considerable shade is tolerated as the basal leaves wither away. It likes a slightly moist rich loose loamy soil with abundant organic matter. Habitats include deciduous woodlands and wooded bluffs. In early spring, this perennial (bulb) produces basal leaves 4-9" long and 1-2½" across on short petioles (usually 2-3 per bulb). The leaves wither away by early summer and a week or so later a naked flowering stalk grows to about ½-1' tall that terminates in a single rounded umbel of flowers spanning 1-2" across with 10-20 flowers per umbel. Each flower is about ¼" across with 6 white to translucent white tepals. Both the flowers and foliage exude a leak/onion odor. After the blooming period, the ovary of each flower matures into a seed capsule that becomes black at maturity.
Wild Leek (flower stalks) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve woods June 30, 2013
Wild Leek (spring basal leaves) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve woods April 24, 2015
Wild Leek (flower umbel) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve woods June 19, 2017
Wild Leek (immature seed heads) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve woods July 11, 2015
Wild Leek (mature seed head) at Pickerill/Pigott Forest Preserve woods August 27, 2013
Wild Leek is popular, usually under its other common name "Ramps", as an early spring vegetable with a strong garlic-like odor and a pronounced onion flavor, and has a growing popularity in restaurants throughout North America. Reminder: see our Do Not Disturb Notice.
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