Allium ursinum

Also Known As

Bear Garlic
Ramsoms
Wild Garlic

Plant type

perennial, bulb / corm / tuber, fruit / vegetable

size

H: 6"-12"
W: 6"-36"

planting zones

4a-9b

More Options

Allium ursinum plant details

Allium ursinum is a broadleaf deciduous perennial bulb / corm / tuber or fruit / vegetable with green foliage. In summer white flowers emerge. Attracts bees and butterflies making it an excellent addition to pollinator gardens. Grows well with mostly sun - mostly shade and even moisture - regular water. Does well in average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Allium ursinum

Plant type: perennial bulb / corm / tuber or fruit / vegetable
Plant family: amaryllidaceae
Foliage: deciduous green
Mature size: 6 IN - 36 IN - wide, 6 IN - 12 IN - tall
Flowers: white blooms in summer
Uses: award-winning, border plant, container plant, culinary, cutting garden, easy-to-grow, edible, medicinal, rock garden

GROWING CONDITIONS for Allium ursinum

USDA Zones: 4a - 9b
Sun exposure: mostly sun - mostly shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average, rich and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Allium ursinum is a beautiful shade-tolerant species from the deciduous woodlands of Europe and Asia. It is also called wild garlic or ramsons and has been harvested for thousands of years for its edible leaves and bulbs. In the garden it produces a carpet of lush, broad, mid-green foliage topped with loose umbels of starry white flowers. Few plants can offer the unique flower forms of ornamental onions. Every garden should have Alliums. Plant in multiples of 3, 5, 7 or more.

By: Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd.

Familiar to those who have traveled to Europe in the springtime, ramsons or ramps are wild chive relatives frequently foraged from patches growing unattended in deciduous woodlands and parks. These tasty early spring greens are now showing up on trendy restaurant menus as flavorings in salads, soups, sauces and even substituted for basil in pestos. If you have a bit of wooded landscape with well draining soil, and are feeling adventurous, give these hard-to-find members of the onion family a try.