Leek
Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion like plant without a bulb and with flat leaves. It grows one year, then flowers the next. There is one bulb. There can be bulblets. The covering is white. The leaves are flattened and vary from 40-100 cm long by 1.2-2.5 cm wide. Many flowers are produced in a large flower head where small flowers are on equal length stalks forming a ball. Probably now Allium ampeloprasum

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

A temperate plant. It does best with a day temperature below 24°C. So it is mostly over 800 m altitude in the tropics and grows up to 2600 m. It needs a fertile soil. It is very frost resistant. The soil needs to be well drained but retain moisture. It suits hardiness zones 5-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Cambodia Canada, Caucasus, Central America, China, Costa Rica, Crete, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, East Africa, Ecuador, Egypt, Europe, Fiji, France, Georgia, Greece, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kurdistan, Laos, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mediterranean (country/location of origin), Malaysia, Middle East, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, Niger, North Africa, North America, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Sahel, SE Asia, Serbia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tasmania, Thailand, Turkey, Türkiye, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The whole plant is boiled except for the tops of the leaves. They can also be eaten raw. Sprouted seeds are eaten.

Moderately common in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, herb, vegetable, bulb, sprouts, spice

How it is grown

They can be grown from seed. Seedlings can be transplanted. They are transplanted when 15-20 cm high. The base of plants or suckers are more commonly used for planting. It is difficult to save seed in the wet tropics. If plants are planted in a hole 10-15 cm deep they develop long white edible stalks. The soil should be mounded up around the base of the plant. A spacing of 15-20 cm between plants and in rows 30-36 cm apart is suitable

Plants are ready for harvest after 16-20 weeks. A yield of 20 kg per 10 metres square is average.

Its other names

Local names

Aga, Ajo porro, Bawang prei, Bawang sayuran, Hazir, Jiu cong, Krathiam-bai, Krathiam-ton, Kuse, Kutsai, Lauch, Likisi, Look, Luk, Pirassa, Poireau, Porro, Puerro, Sibuyas-bisaya, Yabani pirasa

Synonyms

Allium porrum L.;