Wild ForageCaution

Ramps

Allium tricoccum

Also called: wild leek

Spring woodland onion with 2-3 smooth, broad leaves. Shares habitat with deadly look-alikes, so every plant gets the full checklist.

Ramps: Whole plant — Whole plantPhoto: Lynn Harper · CC0 · source

Ramps: Root or base — Root or basePhoto: Ayotte, Gilles, 1948- · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Ramps: Look-alike side by side. Death camas (Anticlea / Zigadenus species), a deadly look-alike — Look-alike side by sideDeath camas (Anticlea / Zigadenus species), a deadly look-alikePhoto: Yann Kemper · CC0 · source

Confirm EVERY point before you eat it

2-3 smooth, flat, lance-shaped leaves per plant, about 1-2 in wide, coming straight from the ground (no central leafy stalk)
Leaf stalks and lower stem often burgundy to purple; bulb wrapped in a fibrous, netted sheath
Crushed leaf AND bulb smell strongly of onion/garlic. Check every plant, and wash your hands so the scent does not transfer to look-alike leaves

0 of 3 confirmed. If any point does not match, it is not this plant.

Look-alikes to rule out

False helleboreDeadly
Pleated, strongly ribbed leaves clasping a central stalk, no onion smell. Fatal poisonings from mistaking it for ramps are documented.
See the card →
Death camasDeadly
Frequently mistaken for wild onion: onion-like bulb, grass-like leaves and small white flowers. Causes vomiting and convulsions and can be fatal.
Lily of the valleyToxic
Usually two smooth leaves wrapped around each other, no onion smell; common near old homesites and gardens, and also wild in some mountain forests, so habitat alone does not rule it out.
See the card →

Warnings

Never rely on smell alone.

Harvest responsibly

Very slow to regrow. Cut leaves at the base (one leaf per plant is gentler still) and leave the bulb and root in the ground. Digging whole plants from a wild patch is the main cause of ramp decline. A mature patch yields roughly 1-2 lbs of leaves per season if harvested selectively. Harvest rules on public land vary, so check before you pick.

In season

Above ground only about March-May: leaves emerge in early spring and die back by late spring; a leafless flower stalk appears in summer.

Habitat

Rich, moist hardwood forest, coves and north-facing slopes.

Parts used

leaves

Preparation and use

Leaves eaten raw or cooked; bulbs and roots are edible too, but leave them in the ground. Strong flavor, a little goes a long way. Fresh ramps keep only 3-5 days refrigerated; blanch 2 minutes and freeze, or pickle.

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.