Three-cornered leek
Allium triquetrum
herb · leaf
⚠️ Toxic look-alike
Never eat this plant unless you are certain it is not its toxic look-alike.
Its leaves come up in spring beside those of bluebell, lily of the valley, daffodil and sometimes autumn crocus, all toxic; autumn crocus can kill. Three-cornered leek has a three-angled stem, white bell flowers marked with a green line, and its crushed leaf smells of garlic. Beware: the smell lingers on your fingers; crush each leaf one by one, with clean hands. Autumn crocus and lily of the valley cause vomiting, diarrhea and heart problems within a few hours.
If in the slightest doubt, leave it. If you feel unwell after eating it, even several hours later, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or 911.
Triangular stems and white bell flowers with a mild garlic taste: all of it is eaten, raw or just seared.
- Origin
- Mediterranean, naturalized in Western Europe
- Where to find it
- In spring it carpets the banks and sunken lanes of Brittany, Cornwall and Ireland, and the damp bush of southern Australia and New Zealand, where it is called “onion weed”.
- Season (United States)
- February to May
- Preparation
- All of it is eaten — stems, leaves, flowers and the small bulb — raw and chopped, or just seared. When gathered, it must smell of garlic when crushed: without that smell, it is not eaten. Chop or crush it, then wait ten minutes before cooking: that is how long its sulfur compounds take to form.
- Molecules
- Allium sulfur compoundsIn small amounts, not counted Lutein and zeaxanthin · Chlorophyll
- Did you know?
- Its three-angled stem sets it apart from wild garlic, with its broad leaves.