Species Alliums being edible?
Mark McDonough (Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:11:51 PDT)
Shmuel Silinsky <gardenbetter@gmail.com> wrote:
There are many species of Allium native here in Israel. Some are
endemic. I
am wondering if all are edible, both as leaf or as bulb. Obviously
flavor
will vary, even bitterness, but are any poisonous?
I am especially interested in knowing about Allium aschersonium. It
has a
large bulb - and I would like to try it as an edible. A couple of
thousand
years ago there were a lot more Alliums eaten here, and those that
need no
extra irrigation are of great interest.
By the way, scallions are said to have been brought to Europe by
returning
Crusaders and named for the city they grew near - Ashkelon. At least
that
is the tour guide story. I don't remember. I was too young.
Shmuel Silinsky
Jerusalem Israel
Zone 9 wet winter - dry summer
The best way to answer the question, is that all Allium are edible,
although not all are palatable. An excellent reference addressing this
question, although very technical, is "Garlic and Other Alliums - The
Lore and The Science" published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, by
Dr. Eric Block, Professor of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, more
information here:
http://srgc.net/forum/index.php/…
...follow-up info on book here:
http://srgc.net/forum/index.php/…
It should be noted that compounds and substances in onions are very
complex, much has been studied about them. While generally considered
as healthful, too much of a good thing (over ingesting) can lead to some
levels of inflamation/toxicity.
Mark McDonough
USDA Zone 5,
Massachusetts, USA, near the New Hampshire border