The few flowered leeks are now in bloom and quite an odd looking bloom it is too! Gabrielle had asked for a close up shot, so here are a couple!
The leaves can be picked and eaten as salad or in sauces (but please note thatlots of dogs run around the Water of Leith and you must wash the leaves thoroughly before eating). Apparently these plants taste very different from the wild garlic, which is not yet in bloom so I'll post a close up of that flower in the next week or so!For Nature Notes
I laughed when I read your dog pee warning. Though not funny if not washed, I suppose. That's a risk when we eat from wild sources, knowing who or what has been there first. Lovely photos. It snowed here again today. Winter is still here. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteHehe I took a picture of these little plants a while ago now, it was rather a funny picture because the plants looked like a pair of drunken revellers strooling back to the woods, (you would have to see the picture to acknowledge the significance of this peculiar story ;-)). I always wanted to know what they were & now I know-great
ReplyDeleteI always avoid eating anything where dogs have been walked Juliet - it is never worth it.
ReplyDeleteSo pretty and delicate.
ReplyDeleteHave often seen Wild Garlic ... but these, I think, are quite new to me.
ReplyDeleteHave I been mis-identifying this as allium triquetrum for the past few years, whereas in fact it’s allium paradoxum? Are the two very similar, and do you know whether the former grows at all along the rivers in Edinburgh?
ReplyDeleteThey are quite pretty, and remind me of a woodland blossom we have here. I grew up eating wild onions, so would probably enjoy these.
ReplyDeleteThanks Juliet for the close up :) You have a good point about the dog contamination - yuk! I feel like leeks now.
ReplyDeleteHi Howard this is definitely paradoxum, the flowers are quite dofferent. I don't know off hand where triquetem grows in Edinburgh, but i can try to find out.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty little plants, but I agree you should wash things, but I think of all the wild blackberries that I picked and ate as a child with my dirty kid hands...Thank you for linking up to Nature Notes...Michelle
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great post! Walking along the Waters of Leith sounds so poetic :) The photos were really interesting too!
ReplyDeletewhat a great green! :)
ReplyDeleteinteresting info, and the dainty blossoms are lovely too
ReplyDeletemuch love...
They are lovely little blossoms!
ReplyDelete