# Some kind of wild onion - edible?



## Daybright

We have a lot of some sort of onion-like plant growing in our yard. They grow in clumps. The leaves/stalks are very thin, about as thin as a blade of grass. When we moved in in the fall, they were about the height of the grass. They grew over the winter while the grass did not, so now they are standing up like tufts, maybe 8-10 inches high. We dug a hole this afternoon to plant a tree and found that they each have a small white bulb (half an inch or less) at the bottom. I was intrigued and tried to pull one up without digging, but unfortunately, the shoot snapped off rather than the bulb coming up. 

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows exactly what this is and whether it is edible -- and if it is, would you eat the top, bottom or both? I had been thinking it might be about time to get the mower out now that spring is here, but if we can eat these, I might try to pull at least some of them by hand before going over the lawn with the mower.

Thanks!


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## chickenista

Yes. They are edible, but very, very strong!
You can use the greens as chives and the bulbs as onions, but I find that they are best when either roasted or used as flavoring in soups.. like a nice, dark beef barley.


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## motdaugrnds

Yes, Chickenista is corrrect. I call them wild garlic here because they are extra strong. Just take a knife and dig under the bulb. It will have a nice strong root system on it.

I have found they are rather tough; so I put them in my blender then in ice trays to freeze, using them periodically in all kinds of dishes. (I love them.)


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## rockhound

I see you are in NC, that's good. In the western states there is a poisonous look-alike, so be careful folks. Make sure each bulb smells "onion-ey".


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## copperhead46

We love wild onions and scrambled eggs, the best springtime treat.


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## Daybright

Thanks, this is interesting! I may have to do some experimenting!


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## GrannyG

We just call them wild onions....
http://www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/onion-wild.html





http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/allvi.htm


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## arnie

those strong wild onionswill add there fragrance to yard a mowing time .my problem is the milkcow likes to eat anything green in the early spring and I end up with oinoin flavored milk .and can't save up the ceam for butter or ice cream.


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## obleo+6

We have wild onion AND wild garlic in our yard here in the Ozarks...don't know what I would do without them while waiting for my planted onions and garlic to get growing in the garden. One year the planted onions and garlic didn't do so well, so I resorted to the wild stuff and have been hooked ever since.

We just bought a place and before we bought the place, I looked for "wild" anything and they didn't have much growing here, so I brought some from the other property just to make sure I had an abundant supply...forever!

You can chop them up, dry them, freeze them, whatever and you'll never run out. Lucky you to find them.


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## gaucli

We call them ramps here. They are delicious! You can use them in anything that you would like the taste of onion or garlic in. I like them the best in fried potatoes. They even have ramp festivals in West Virginia...here is a little more about them.

http://www.richwooders.com/ramp/ramps.htm


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## chickenista

Ramps are a very different plant than a lawn variety wild onion.
The ramps have the broader leaves etc..
The wild onions are more like tall, stinky grass patches.
And they grow in entirely different areas.

Both are good though.


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## itsb

obleo+6 said:


> We have wild onion AND wild garlic in our yard here in the Ozarks...don't know what I would do without them while waiting for my planted onions and garlic to get growing in the garden. One year the planted onions and garlic didn't do so well, so I resorted to the wild stuff and have been hooked ever since.
> 
> We just bought a place and before we bought the place, I looked for "wild" anything and they didn't have much growing here, so I brought some from the other property just to make sure I had an abundant supply...forever!
> 
> You can chop them up, dry them, freeze them, whatever and you'll never run out. Lucky you to find them.


you are corect,2 different plants


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## itsb

I should have added that wild garlic is round stalks and kind of a olive color,where wild onions are more flat stalks that are a dark green color


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## Filson

Just a friendly reminder that Death Camas can be mistaken for wild onions. Please be diligent in identifying potential wild foods!


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