Shi ting cong
Allium galanthum

Family: Amaryllidaceae

What it is like

An onion family plant. A bulb plant. The bulbs are clustered. They are like a cylinder and inflated at the base. They are 1.5-3 cm across. The covering is red-brown and thinly leathery. The plant grows to 30 cm high. The leaves are 1/2 to 2/3 as long as the scape. They are 3-10 mm wide. The scape is 30-60 cm long. It is round and solid. It is covered with leaf sheaths only at the base.

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 naturally on stony slopes in China, Mongolia and Siberia. It prefers a sunny position and a light well drained soil. It can grow on moist and acid soils. It grows between 500-1500 m altitude in N China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Siberia, Tajikistan

How it is used for food

The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked. The flowers are used raw to flavour salads.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, bulb

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or division of the bulbs. Bulbs should be planted fairly deeply.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Allium pseudocepa Schrenk.;