L-KSVMP&EM an IVF Project

LESSER – KNOWN SPECIES OF VEGETABLES, MEDICINAL PLANTS AND EDIBLE MUSHROOMS: NEW GROWING TRENDS IN CONTEXT OF V4 COUNTRIES COOPERATION

Allium ursinum L. (Alliaceae)



ENG Ramsons, bear’s garlic
SK Cesnak medvedí
CZ Česnek medvědí
PL Czosnek niedźwiedzi
HU  

Using

Beneficial addition to the diet, promoting the general health of the body when used regularly. It is effective in reducing high blood pressure and blood cholesterol level. Plants have anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, diuretic, diaphoretic, anticarcinogenic actions, they enhance antibiotic therapies. Bear‘s garlic plants reduce blood glucose levels, ease stomach pain and are tonic to the digestion.


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Sowing
Planting
Harvest

Botanical description and occurrence:

Allium ursinum is a bulbous, perennial herbaceous monocot, commonly knows as bear’s garlic or ramsoms. The narrow bulbs are formed from a single leaf base, bulbs are in clumps, leaves are entire green, elliptical, up to 25 cm. The inflorescence is an umbel of white flowers produce capsules with seeds, but lacking the bulbils. Bear’s garlic is propagated from seeds (own seeds, after stratification, can be sown in July, shop-purchased seeds in October-November, better way is to propagate plants from the bulbs, which can be planted in early autumn). Plants con¬tain many bioactive compounds (flavonoids, vitamin C and E), mineral constituents, and a large number of sulfur derivatives: di¬vinyl sulfide, dim¬ethyl thio¬sulfonate, methyl cystein sulf¬oxide and the latter’s de¬gra¬da¬tion products, methyl allyl thio¬sulfonate and methanethiol. It is native to temperate regions of Europe, from Britain east to the Caucasus.

Why to have the plant in your garden:

Bear’s garlic is a plant valued primarily due to its pro-healthy benefits and taste. The leaves contain significant amounts of vitamin C and can be added to soups, sauces, salads and marinates. In the garden, plants can successfully grow under the canopy of trees and large shrubs. It can be grown well in containers.

Text:

Dr. Andrzej Kalisz, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Photo:

Dr. Elżbieta Jędrszczyk, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland

Links to scientific articles

Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Michowska A., 2011. The growth, flowering and chemical composition of leaves of three ecotypes of Allium ursinum L. Acta Agrobotanica 64(4), 171-180.

Piątkowska Z., Kopeć A., Leszczyńska T., 2015. Basic chemical composition, content of micro- and macroelements, and antioxidant activityof different varieties of garlic’s leaves Polish origin. Żwyność Nauka Technologia Jakość 1(98), 181-192.

Schmitt B., Schulz H., Storsberg J., Keusgen M., 2005. Chemical characterization of Allium ursinum L. depending on harvesting time. Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry 53(18), 7288-7294.

Sobolewska D., Podolak I., Makowska-Wąs J., 2015. Allium ursinum: botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological overview. Phytochem Reviews 14(1), 81-97.