Solved Can I eat it?

Discussion in 'Identification Area' started by Shyamalie Satkunanandan, May 1, 2020.

  1. Shyamalie Satkunanandan

    Shyamalie Satkunanandan Gardener

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    I thought the bulb weed in the photos might be wild garlic because of the shape of the flowers but they're light purple and not white. It also doesn't smell like onion/garlic.

    It's definitely not grape hyacinth.

    I dug up quite a few in my garden, and have transferred them to a pot to try and grow it out. (I can't actually eat them as I used SBK Brushwood killer on some bramble nearby and I don’t want to risk getting poisoned!)

    Any ideas??

    MVIMG_20200430_133243.jpg MVIMG_20200430_202633.jpg
    (I have bluebells growing in another corner and they look very different
     
  2. NigelJ

    NigelJ Total Gardener

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    Definitely not wild garlic or Allium triquetrum. Not grape hyacinth either, could be a colour form of bluebell as I have blue white and pink bluebells.
     
  3. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    I dont think I'd even think about eating that.:smile:
     
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    • Shyamalie Satkunanandan

      Shyamalie Satkunanandan Gardener

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      Haha, it's definitely off the menu.

      I didn't realise you could get pink bluebells! Bluebells does seem the closest bet...
       
    • wiseowl

      wiseowl Admin Staff Member

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      Bluebell. All parts of the bluebell plant contain toxic glycosides, which are poisonous to humans and animals, including dogs, horses and cattle. Ingestion of any parts of the plant, whether flowers, leaves or bulbs, causes a lowering of the pulse rate, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.
       
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      • Silver surfer

        Silver surfer PLANTAHOLIC

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        OMG...never ever eat something unless you know what it is.
        This is Hyacinthoides hispanica...a pink form of the Spanish blue bell.

        hyacinthoides hispanica pink - Google Search


        They look similar to common bluebells..but are not scented and flowers go right round the stem.
        Can be blue, white OR pink.

        HYACINTHOIDES  HISPANICA 03-05-2014 15-09-39.JPG HYACINTHOIDES  HISPANICA  SPANISH  BLUEBELLS 23-05-2015 13-37-46.JPG HYACINTHOIDES  HISPANICA  SPANISH  BLUEBELLS 23-05-2015 13-38-17.JPG HYACINTHOIDES  HISPANICA  SPANISH  BLUEBELLS 23-05-2015 13-38-48.JPG

        Wild garlic looks nothing like these...see below

        Below is Allium ursinum...wild garlic.
        ALLIUM  URSINUM  WILD  GARLIC 03-05-2014 14-46-02.JPG ALLIUM  URSINUM  WILD  GARLIC 03-05-2014 14-46-08.JPG ALLIUM  URSINUM  WILD  GARLIC 04-05-2014 14-40-01.JPG ALLIUM  URSINUM  WILD  GARLIC 15-04-2015 10-50-24.JPG
         
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          Last edited: May 1, 2020
        • Selleri

          Selleri Koala

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          Wild foraged food is very trendy, unfortunately so in some cases. There is a restaurant that offered wild foraged Lily-of-the-Valley soup, how romantic is that! :wub2:

          Thankfully they had some sharp eyed customers to advise them rather quickly about the small inconvenience of the plant actually being very poisonous.

          But relating to the OP, I have been eyeing Wild Garlic like plants on our daily walks, I'd love to taste them but the similarity of bulbous spring plants is confusing. There is a huge colony in Durham but we can't get there just now. Here's a link for anyone interested in wild garlic.
           
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          • NigelJ

            NigelJ Total Gardener

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            Round here there is a lot less wild garlic than there used to be, it has been displaced by Allium triquetrum (Three Cornered Leek) which is supposed to be edible. The wild garlic is only found in the damper shadier areas.
            There is a Cornish cheese called Yarg that is normally wrapped in nettle leaves, however they also do a seasonal variant wrapped in wild garlic leaves in spring. Both are very good.
             
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            • Shyamalie Satkunanandan

              Shyamalie Satkunanandan Gardener

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              Ahhh, that looks right @Silver surfer

              Thanks everyone for your help. Years ago I did go on a hike once and the hike leader found some wild garlic (just the leaves, it wasn't flowering). I took home a bunch and used it for a pasta dish and breakfast, scrambled eggs. Delicious! Bluebells probably don't taste as good :huh:.

              Disaster averted!
               
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