East facing, north facing, south facing, west facing
Position in Border:
Front
Soil
Acidic / Chalky / Alkaline / Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Allim ursinum is commonly called wild garlic, ramsons, bear's garlic, buckrams, and occasionally wood garlic and wild leek. A bulbous perennial and relative of regular garlic, its leaves have a mild garlic flavour and can be used in a variety of dishes where you would normally use regular garlic, but they can also be used in their own right to make soups and stews, along with pesto.
Native to British woodland, Allium ursinum forms a carpet of fresh green, oval leaves and white flowers, with a strong, garlicky fragrance. In gardens, it thrives in shade or semi-shade, and can be used as spring groundcover before summer plants take hold.
Take care not to confuse Allium ursinum with lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), which is highly poisonous and should not be eaten. Note that Allium ursinum leaves grow from the ground, whereas those of lily-of-the-valley grow on stems. Once in flower, the two plants are easy to tell apart: Allium ursinum bears small, rounded clusters of white flowers held on thin stalks. Lily-of-the-valley flowers are bell-shaped and grow from a single, drooping stem.
Allium ursinum can also be confused with three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum) which has grassy leaves and small, white flowers held in much looser clusters. While Allium triquetrum isn't poisonous, it's always important to make sure you are certain you're harvesting the correct plant.
Grow Allium ursinum in full to partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil. Note that the leaves die back down after flowering, but will regrow the following spring. There's no need to fertilise, prune or otherwise care for Allium ursinum, although – while not invasive in the UK – you may need to control its spread after a few years.
Advice on buying Allium ursinum
Allium ursinum can be bought from a variety of retailers. Make sure you're buying from a reputable source, so it's not been dug up illegally
Alternatively, ask a friend, neighbour or allotment plot holder if you can dig a bit up to transplant to your garden or plot – it will quickly bulk up
Yes, Allium ursinum can be used in a variety of dishes, both as a mild substitute for bulb garlic but also in its own right in soups, stews and pesto.
Is it illegal to pick Allium ursinum in the UK?
No, you can pick Allium ursinum leaves on any public land perfectly legally. However, on private land, make sure you check with the landowner first. Never take too much, leaving plenty for people and wildlife.
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Allium ‘ursinum’ and wildlife
Allium ‘ursinum’ is known for attracting bees and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
