The image, above, shows the full Crow Garlic plant (Alliumvineale), right, along with close-ups of the edible bulbs,
bottom left and the edible flowers, top leaft..
| Common Name: Crow Garlic |
| Scientific Name: Allium vineale |
| Other Names: Field Garlic, Wild Onion, Companion Onion, False Garlic |
| Family: Alliaceae |
| Range: Much of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and Lebanon |
Physical Characteristics
Allium vineale is a hardy bulbous Perennial plant, growing to 60cm (2 ft) by 10cm (4 in) in size. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. Seedlings begin to develop in October and the plant is in flower from June to July and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite and are pollinated by insects. The plant also self-fertilizes
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| Edible Parts: Leaves, Bulbs, Bulbils, Flowers |
 Edibility Rating: 3 
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 Known Hazards: There have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of this species. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Crow Garlic along with all the Crow Garlic containing recipes presented on this site, with 3 recipes in total.
These recipes, all contain Crow Garlic as a major wild food ingredient.
The Crow Garlic, Allium vineale (also known as Field Garlic, Wild Onion, Companion Onion, False Garlic and Allium kochii), is a member of the onion genus Allium, in the Aliaceae (onion) family of herbaceous perennial flowering plants.
All parts of the plant have a pronounced garlic odour and, as a result, it can be valuable for the wild forager. It is typically found in full sun in fields and on roadsides and can be a serious weed of pasture land.
It is in leaf from October to August, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. Both the leaves (which can be stringy) and the bulb are edible. The bulb can be eaten either raw or cooked and can vary in size from 1–2cm in diameter and have a tough outer layer that needs to be removed and have a very strong garlic flavour. The leaves can also be eaten either raw or cooked and have a pleasant mild to strong garlic flavour and are best used sparingly during early spring, snipped into a salad. The flowers (typically pink or purple) are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
In the past these were a very important food and flavouring source as they are available from late autumn to the spring (I have some in my garden for this very reason).
The bulbs tend to be very small and are best grubbed up in early summer (June [which means they can be used from the end of ramson season]) and typically you will have small bulblets (known as Bulbils) around the main bulb. Reserve a few for cooking or pickling and plant the remainder for your winter's crop. You can also plant the seeds directly into the ground at this time.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
These recipes, all contain Crow Garlic as a major wild food ingredient.
The Crow Garlic, Allium vineale (also known as Field Garlic, Wild Onion, Companion Onion, False Garlic and Allium kochii), is a member of the onion genus Allium, in the Aliaceae (onion) family of herbaceous perennial flowering plants.
All parts of the plant have a pronounced garlic odour and, as a result, it can be valuable for the wild forager. It is typically found in full sun in fields and on roadsides and can be a serious weed of pasture land.
It is in leaf from October to August, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. Both the leaves (which can be stringy) and the bulb are edible. The bulb can be eaten either raw or cooked and can vary in size from 1–2cm in diameter and have a tough outer layer that needs to be removed and have a very strong garlic flavour. The leaves can also be eaten either raw or cooked and have a pleasant mild to strong garlic flavour and are best used sparingly during early spring, snipped into a salad. The flowers (typically pink or purple) are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
In the past these were a very important food and flavouring source as they are available from late autumn to the spring (I have some in my garden for this very reason).
The bulbs tend to be very small and are best grubbed up in early summer (June [which means they can be used from the end of ramson season]) and typically you will have small bulblets (known as Bulbils) around the main bulb. Reserve a few for cooking or pickling and plant the remainder for your winter's crop. You can also plant the seeds directly into the ground at this time.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1999
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–12.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants, 2004
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland, 2011
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) — How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland, 2006
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles, 1983
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles, 1987
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms, 2006
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms, 2011
[12]. Bunker, F. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland, Second Edition, 2017
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia II — A Source Book of Edible Plants, 1998
[14]. Hartford, R. Edible and Medicinal Wild Plants of Britain and Ireland: A Foraging and Photographic Identification Guide
(Note that the above book links are Amazon Affiliate links)
The alphabetical list of all Crow Garlic recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 3 recipes in total:
Page 1 of 1
| Chicken and Wild Food Stir-fry Origin: Fusion | Pickled Crow Garlic Bulbs Origin: Britain | Pork and Wild Food Curry Origin: Britain |
Page 1 of 1