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Allium triquetrum - L.

Three-Cornered Leek

Author	L.	Botanical references	200
Family	Alliaceae	Genus	Allium
Synonyms
Known Hazards	Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in very large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible[76].
Range	S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain in S.W. England[17].
Habitat	Hedge banks and waste places on damp soils[17, 90].
Edibility Rating	5 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Bulb growing to 0.35m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade; Hedgerow;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root.

Bulb - raw or cooked. The rather small bulb is up to 20mm in diameter[200], it has a mild garlic flavour and can be used as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. It is harvested in early summer when the plant has died down and will store for at least 6 months[K]. Leaves - raw or cooked. A leek substitute[22]. The leaves are available from late autumn until the spring, they are nice in salads when they are young, or cooked as a vegetable or flavouring as they get older[K]. The leaves have a milder and more delicate flavour than onions[183]. Flowers - raw. Juicy with a mild garlic flavour, they make a tasty and decorative garnish on salads[K].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Although no specific mention of medicinal uses has been seen for this species, members of this genus are in general very healthy additions to the diet. They contain sulphur compounds (which give them their onion flavour) and when added to the diet on a regular basis they help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system and also tonify the circulatory system[K].

Other Uses

Repellent.

The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles[20].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are sweetly scented.

Cultivation details

Prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil[1, 42]. Shade tolerant[31], it is easily grown in a cool leafy soil[90] and grows well in light moist woodland[203]. Plants are not very hardy outside the milder areas of Britain, they tolerate temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1]. The seeds have an oil-bearing appendage which is attractive to ants. The ants carry the seed away to eat the oil and then discard the seed, thus aiding dispersal of the plant[203]. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[18, 20, 54]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[201]. The flowers are sweetly scented[245]. The picked flowers can remain fresh for several weeks[89]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse or cold frame. It germinates quickly and can be grown on in the greenhouse for the first year, planting out the dormant bulbs in the late summer of the following year if they have developed sufficiently, otherwise grow on in pots for a further year. Stored seed can be sown in spring in a greenhouse. Division in summer after the plants have died down. Very easy, the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions.

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Allium Species - the Perennial Onions, Alternative Edible Leaves, The Woodland Edge Garden.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[22] Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods. 0
Not very comprehensive, it seems more or less like a copy of earlier writings with little added.

[31] Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland. 0

[42] Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.

[54] Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977 ISBN 0-584-10141-4
Interesting reading.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[89] Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean. Hogarth Press 1987 ISBN 0-7012-0784-1
A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.

[90] Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989 ISBN 0-330-30253-1
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[203] Davies. D. Alliums. The Ornamental Onions. Batsford 1992 ISBN 0-7134-7030-5
Covers about 200 species of Alliums. A very short section on their uses, good details of their cultivation needs.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Allium triquetrum

James K. Sayre Sat Apr 23 20:05:28 2005

This cheerful little member of the Onion family is well naturalized in parts of coastal California. Thanks for hosting a difinitive entry on Allium triquetrum. This was a hard plant to identify: misidentified as "Lily of the Valley," then "Star of Bethlehem" It took a visit to a local plant sale to get it properly identified.

Allium triquetrum

Joan Meadowcroft Tue May 1 2007

This plant was very common in the hedgerows in Cornwall, England at the end of April. Also difficult to identify as it does not appear in many plant books.

Allium triquetrum

Valerie Trim Tue May 15 2007

Don't plant this unless you don't mind it spreading like mad if you forget to deadhead it!!! The 5 I bought for quite a lot of money a few years ago have colonised large areas of my garden, growing eually well on the rockery as in the woodland area originally planted!!! Although attractive--- beware!!!

Allium triquetrum

Valerie Trim Tue May 15 2007

By the way--- to identify it , notice that the leaves and stems have a triangular cross section , hence the "tri" bit of their name I suppose. It goes well here in the midlands. I almost regret planting it!!!

Allium triquetrum

Jo Foster Fri Feb 15 2008

I certainly regret planting the one bulb I bought as part of a special offer from a reputable source a fw years ago. the four big one disappeared and there is now nothing but A. triqutrum in my garden. I think it was irresponsible to offer it without warning, but thanks for the moth repellent hint. I can juice the leaves and go into business!

Allium triquetrum

Fri Mar 21 2008

I entirely endorse comments about its invasiveness - it's particularly difficult to get rid of because each plant seems to produce hundreds of tiny bulbils and unless you get rid of every one it will carry on spreading. It's lovely, but definitely needs labelling as 'invasive'. Perhaps the main article above could be amended in case readers don't get as far as our comments?

Allium triquetrum

Marinella Zepigi Tue Jun 10 2008

Acta plantarum forum botanico Allium triquetrum L. - Description - Photos

Allium triquetrum

Laura Chariton Tue Mar 24 2009

Allium triquetrum should not be planted outside of its native western mediterranean locale under any circumstances, unless one wants a yard of nothing else. It has croweded out every native small plants and grasses in my yard, dries up in June leaving barren soil. It is a dangerous invasive that destroys native habitat. Once I had quail, and now that the allium has taken over they too are gone. Do not plant this under any circumstances. If you do have it, every part of the plant is edible, digging up the bulbs, rubbing them between your palms to remove the skins and saute and add to any dish is a creative way to get rid of them. Bulbs can be stored for months in a dry cupboard. The greens and flowers are delicious. The problem is they seed voraciously. When they are wet on a slope, they are like slippery ice. I have taken numerous tumbles through the years. I would gladly pay to have them gone.

Allium triquetrum

Sue Jackson Fri Apr 3 2009

Oh hec - I thing this is what I have in my garden! It has just about taken over the whole garden! Looks like I am going to spend Easter digging it all up!!Sue - Colwyn Bay any tips for getting rid of it would be very welcome

Allium triquetrum

mandy Sun Apr 26 2009

I have taken sacks and sacks of the bulbs to the tip every spring for the last few years. It has killed off many other plants. I have dug out the area where I also had wild daffodils and hope to replant them elsewhere. They were not flowering in the allium patch. I have finally decided to try a weed killer on it, but need something dog safe as my dog likes the taste of garlic! One web site suggested domestic bleach or glyphos. Any suggestions welcome.

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