© Lisa Carter · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Allium ursinum
CautionBärlauch · (Allium ursinum)
Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae)
Description
Allium ursinum, known as wild garlic, ramsons, cowleekes, cows's leek, cowleek, buckrams, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic, bear leek, Eurasian wild garlic, onion grass, or bear's garlic, is a bulbous perennial flowering plant in the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. It is native to Eurasia, where it grows in moist woodland. It is a wild relative of onion and garlic, all belonging to the same genus, Allium.
🌿 Risk of confusion — read before wild-harvesting!
DEADLY LOOKALIKE RISK: Wild garlic is regularly confused with lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis), autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and lords-and-ladies (Arum maculatum) - fatal poisonings have occurred in Germany! As little as 50 g of autumn crocus can be lethal. SAFE SMELL TEST: crush a fresh leaf between fingers - wild garlic smells strongly of garlic, the toxic lookalikes do not. Wild garlic ID: each leaf individually stalked from ground, matt underside with prominent midrib; lily of the valley: two leaves from common stem, glossy underside; autumn crocus: unstalked rosette, glossy; lords-and-ladies: arrow-shaped leaves with prominent veins.
- RawLeafInternalFolk medicine
Classic spring wild food: fresh leaves as salad, spread or side - mildly hypotensive and digestive.
Preparation & dosage
WARNING - DEADLY LOOKALIKES: Before harvesting crush a leaf between fingers - wild garlic smells STRONGLY of garlic. Lily of the valley, autumn crocus (as little as 50 g potentially lethal!) and lords-and-ladies look very similar but have NO garlic smell. Identification: each wild garlic leaf has its own stalk, matt underside. Harvest March-April before flowering, wash, slice thinly. Eat raw as wild salad, in quark, on bread, as fresh side. Daily portion 10-30 g fresh leaves.
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- SpiceLeafInternalFolk medicine
Aromatic spring cure as pesto, herb butter, spreads - folk-medicine spring blood cleanser.
Preparation & dosage
BEWARE LOOKALIKES - only use plants with clear garlic smell. Classic pesto: 100 g wild garlic leaves, 50 g pine nuts or walnuts, 50 g parmesan, 100-150 ml olive oil, salt - blend. Keeps 4-6 weeks refrigerated with oil layer, 6-12 months frozen. Also in herb butter, quark, cream cheese, soups (add after cooking - heat destroys aroma).
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- TinctureLeafInternalTraditional use
Traditional alcoholic extract for hypertension and circulation support - mild action, used as multi-week cure.
Preparation & dosage
CAUTION: Only use leaves identified by garlic smell test. Chop fresh leaves, loosely fill jar, cover with 40-45 % alcohol (vodka), macerate 3-4 weeks in warm place, shake occasionally, strain through cloth, fill dark dropper bottle. Dose: 3x daily 10-20 drops in water, before meals, cure 3-4 weeks. Folk use for mild hypertension, arteriosclerosis prevention, digestive issues.
- Doses per day
- 3×
- Max duration
- 4 weeks
- TeaLeafInternalFolk medicine
Mild infusion for digestion and spring cure - weaker than fresh-plant use.
Preparation & dosage
Note: Drying destroys most sulfur compounds - fresh leaves preferable. Pour 250 ml hot (not boiling) water over 1-2 tsp fresh chopped leaves (or 1 tsp dried), cover, steep 8-10 min, strain. 1-2 cups daily for sluggish digestion, spring cure. Heat above 60 C destroys allicin - use water only warm.
- Dry amount
- 2–4 g
- Doses per day
- 2×
- Max duration
- 3 weeks
- CompressLeafExternalFolk medicine
Folk-medicine fresh-plant poultice for minor skin issues and insect bites.
Preparation & dosage
Rarely used in folk medicine: Crush fresh washed leaves, apply as poultice to slow-healing skin, insect bites or minor wounds, secure with cloth, leave 15-30 min. Not on large open wounds. Patch-test on forearm first - may irritate.
- TinctureLeafInternalClinical trial
Modern application with pharmacological study evidence for blood pressure and vascular health.
Preparation & dosage
Evidence-based use for mild hypertension: prepare as traditional tincture (40 % alcohol, 4 weeks), 3x daily 20 drops for 4-6 weeks. In-vivo studies (Sobolewska et al. 2015) show stronger BP-lowering than garlic. CAUTION: With existing antihypertensive or anticoagulant therapy only under medical supervision - additive effect possible. Mind lookalike risk when sourcing raw plant.
- Doses per day
- 3×
- Max duration
- 6 weeks
Distribution in Europe
🤝 Permaculture Partners
In your garden, this plant acts as:
✨ Best symbiotic partners
- 🌿 Fragaria vesca Classic companion-planting partner.
- 🌿 Matricaria chamomilla Classic companion-planting partner.
Source: Helga und Margarete Langerhorst, Mein gesunder Naturgarten (eigene Kuration)