Ramp Up Your North American Native Plant Game
I’m talking about Ramps! This edible North American native is a member of the Allium family- think garlic, onion, and also lillies! They taste like a mix of garlic and green onion, with a bit of a funky note in there somewhere.
Despite my description, they are great anywhere you use garlic in a recipe. They have a bulb that minces up like garlic and the vibrant green leaves can add garlic flavor and nice color to many dishes. They go great with eggs and interestingly enough make a good jelly (here’s looking at you charcuterie fans and your exotic savory jellies)!
Ramps, specifically Allium tricoccum, have a native range covering the eastern United States, Appalachia, and eastern Canada (Davis & Greenfield, 2020). That’s USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7, and roughly Canadian zones 3a to 6b/7a.
While slow to establish, I have found that these garlicky bad boys are relatively maintenance-free here in my zone 6 garden.
My plot is still relatively small, and the ramps are just waking up here in my yard, but it seems like I am seeing increased offshoots and fewer singles, hopefully pointing to maturing plants. This is my plot’s fourth season.
This hardy plant requires a few things aside from its zone hardiness, being an understory plant they require
- Consistent levels of moisture
- Good soil drainage
- Soil with lots of organic material
- An area that does not get full sun, i.e. partial shade or dappled light
I accomplish this by planting in a spot that gets only a few hours of direct light in the morning and gets indirect sun and some shade the rest of the day. I also mulch heavily with leaves each fall and top them off with leaves when needed. The mulch helps a lot with keeping an even moisture level, and as it breaks down, it simulates the nutrients they would receive in their natural forested environment.
They are also planted in a location that will never have standing water. Remember, you want moist soil, not water-logged soil for your ramps.
Now that Ramp season is in swing, it is time to get them if they are available in your area. They are a versatile ingredient that garlic lovers should be able to appreciate!
If you are buying to plant, only buy bulbs with healthy-looking leaves that also have intact root systems. These will have the best shot of establishing new roots before the spring growing season comes to an end, and they start to wind down into summer. When planting your bulbs, Davis & Greenfield suggest a depth of three inches with four to six inches spacing in between (2020).
References
Davis, J., & Greenfield, J. (2020, April 16). Cultivation of ramps (allium tricoccum and A. burdickii): NC State Extension Publications. Cultivation of Ramps (Allium tricoccum and A. burdickii) | NC State Extension Publications. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/cultivation-of-ramps-allium-tricoccum-and-a-burdickii
