In spring, many forests are permeated by the aromatic scent of freshly sprouting wild garlic. But be careful when collecting the spicy herb – it can easily be confused with the poisonous lily of the valley!
Blooming wild garlic and lily of the valley are hard to confuse. However, you should look a little closely at the leaves if both plants are next to each other
Those who have planted wild garlic (Allium ursinum) in the garden, for example under shrubs or at the edge of the hedge, can harvest more from year to year. Even in sparse deciduous forests, the wild weed forms entire colonies, and the collection basket is well filled in no time. At the same time, however, other plants whose leaves look confusingly similar to those of wild garlic also sprout, for example the poisonous lily of the valley. To avoid confusion during harvesting, we explain here which characteristics you can use to easily tell the plants apart.
Wild garlic begins its growth cycle in February/March, when the deciduous trees under which it grows do not yet bear leaves. Since wild garlic needs moist soil, it is often found in riparian forests. While it is often found in the south and center of Germany, its occurrence decreases more and more towards the north. Since some natural populations have already been decimated by the increasing popularity of wild garlic, the following collection rules should be observed: Cut off only one or two leaves per plant with a sharp knife and do not dig up the bulbs. Collecting is not allowed in nature reserves!
Wild garlic and lily of the valley: How to avoid confusion
Despite the unmistakable scent, wild garlic is often confused with the very poisonous lily of the valley when harvesting. These sprout a little later, usually not until mid-April, and the young leaves are rolled up in pairs or threes in the light green, later brownish bract of the stem. Often the flower set with the spherical bells can already be seen. Wild garlic leaves grow close together like a carpet, but are always isolated on their thin, white stem.
Lily of the valley and wild garlic can also be easily distinguished by their roots. The lily of the valley forms rhizomes that protrude almost horizontally, while the wild garlic has a small bulb at the base of the stem with thin, almost vertically downward growing roots. But if in doubt, the following still applies: Simply grind a leaf and sniff it - and hands off if there is no clear garlic smell.
Tips for harvesting wild garlic
Pick the leaves as young as possible before the flowers appear, then the unmistakable garlic taste is still pleasantly mild. The sulphurous oils responsible for this, which have an antibiotic effect, are excreted through the skin and breath – contrary to what is often claimed – as with garlic. So the enjoyment can hardly be concealed.
Tags
Nature