- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Moist deciduous woods of eastern North America
- Traditions
- Cherokee medicine, Haudenosaunee medicine
North America · Food · № 936
Allium tricoccum
Food · North America
Ramps
Allium tricoccum
A wild leek with broad leaves and a small bulb, related to European wild garlic. Leaves and bulb taste of onion and garlic.
Safety notes
The plants grow very slowly; in Quebec the trade in wild ramps is banned. Take at most a few leaves per clump, or buy cultivated. Do not confuse with lily of the valley, which is poisonous and has no onion smell. Traditional use is no proof of effect; consult a doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medication or have a medical condition.
Cautions by tradition (2)
- Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine: Overharvested: take little per patch or buy cultivated. Do not confuse with lily of the valley.
- Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine: Gather sparingly and leave plenty; picking is forbidden in the Smoky Mountains park.
Preparation
Leaves and bulbs in spring, raw, fried or boiled.
Use in traditions
One of the first vegetables of spring. According to the notes in Herrick, the Haudenosaunee fry or boil ramps with salt for children against worms, and eating them counts as a spring cleanse.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) medicine
Attributed effects
As a spring cleanse and against worms in children.
Preparation and amount
Fry or boil the leaves and bulbs in spring with salt.
Caution: Overharvested: take little per patch or buy cultivated. Do not confuse with lily of the valley.
Cherokee (Tsalagi) medicine
Attributed effects
As a spring tonic and for colds and croup, the warm juice for earache. Gathering them in spring is still a yearly celebration.
Preparation and amount
Boil or fry young plants, with or without eggs; the warm juice.
Caution: Gather sparingly and leave plenty; picking is forbidden in the Smoky Mountains park.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Powder and kitchen