Allium ledebourianum
| Allium ledebourianum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Allium ledebourianum
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle - if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in spring once they are growing vigorously and are large enough.
Division in spring or after the plant dies down in late summer. Very easy, the plants divide successfully at any time in the growing season and the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.
Cultivation: Prefers a sunny position in a light well-drained soil[1].
The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1].
Cultivated for its edible leaves and bulb in Japan[2][3].
This species is probably no more than a synonym for A schoenoprasum[4].
Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[5][6][7]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[8].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[9].
Range: E. Asia - China. Japan, Mongolia, Siberia.
Habitat: Meadows and river valleys in Siberia[10], Mountains, moist meadows, river banks, gravelly and sandy places at elevations of 100 - 1800 metres in northern China[11]..
Edibility: Bulb - raw or cooked[2][12][13]. The small bulbs are formed in clusters on the rhizome and are about 10mm in diameter[14].
Leaves - raw or cooked[2][12][13]. The leaves are added to salads or used as a flavouring in soups etc[15]. The flavour resembles wild onions and chives with a hint of garlic[15].
Flowers - raw. Used as a garnish on salads.
Medicinal: 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].
Usage: The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles[6].
Pollinators: Bees, insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible[16].
Also Known As: A. uliginosum. Ldb. A. schoenoprasum foliosum.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Larkcom, Joy. Oriental Vegetables. John Murray, 1991.
- ↑ Davies, Dilys. Alliums: The Ornamental Onions. Batsford, 1992.
- ↑ Philbrick, Helen and Richard Gregg. Companion Plants. Watkins, 1979.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Riotte, Louise. Carrots Love Tomatoes. Garden Way, 1978.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Flora of China. 1994.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Cooper, Marion. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. The Stationery Office, 1984.