Alpine leek
Allium victorialis

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. It is a bulb plant. There can be one bulb or a cluster. The covering is greyish-brown. There are 2-3 leaves. The leaf stalk is 2-10 cm long and the leaf blade is 8-12 cm long by 3-9.5 cm wide. The base is wedge shaped narrowing into the leaf stalk. It tapers to the tip.

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! They have also been put in the family Alliaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests and shady moist places near streams between 600-2500 m altitude in N China. In Sichuan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Armenia, Asia, Balkans, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Egypt, Europe, France, Georgia, Germany, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mongolia, North Africa, North America, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Slovenia, Tibet

How it is used for food

The leaves and bulbs are eaten fresh in salads. They are also pickled. They are also dried. The flowers can be eaten raw and used as a garnish in salads.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulb, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ainu negi, Cesan, Cheremsha, Div luk, Farn, Ge cong, Ghandzil, Gyozedelmes hagyma, Gyouja niniku, Hamas, Happu, Long-root garlic, Pukusa, S:ls:upi, Soghik, Soi, Vanež, Victory onion

Synonyms

Allium latissimum Prokhanov; Allium microdictyum Prokhanov; Allium ochotense Prokhanov; Allium victorialis subsp. platyphyllum Hulten; Allium wenchuanense Z.Y. Zhu;