Wild Leek (Ramps) Seed (Allium tricoccum)

One the most esteemed wild food plants of the continent ramps (aka wild leeks) are native to the woodlands of eastern North America -- yet we’ve found them to be fairly adaptable as a shade or forest garden plant, even outside of their native range. In Western Washington we’ve had success growing ramps in the dappled understory of our farm forest land, especially within alder thickets and among mixed stands of big leaf maple. The plants persist well in moist, fertile soils, especially areas that get a lot of early spring sun, then late spring shade (e.g. under deciduous trees). First identifiable by their vibrant green spring foliage, the leaves die back in summer as the plants produce small white-purple flowers. Note that these are slow to mature plants. Seeds tend to have some dormancy and can require both cold exposure and extended time in the soil (sometimes more than a year) to initiate germination. The tiny young plants are not competitive and require some space and access to lig