The opioid epidemic has long devastated Appalachia. Drug overdose deaths are falling both within West Virginia and the United States, but the epidemic has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the past two decades — including tens of thousands of West Virginians.
If you’re from Canada, the eastern United States, or Appalachia, you’re probably very familiar with a local forest delicacy – the wild onion species of Allium triccocum – best known as ramps. From church hall pot-lucks to outdoor festivals, the wild ramp is widely celebrated this time of year.
But not much is known about a related species of the edible ramp, a species called the Narrow-Leaved Leek, or Allium burdickii. And this lesser known plant is often misidentified.
Eric Burkhart, Ph.D., is Associate Teaching Professor of Ecosystem Science and Management at Penn State University and Program Director of Appalachian Botany and Ethnobotany at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Burkhart is leading a team of researchers in a study of the lesser known plant at various sites in Pennsylvania.
They point out that the Narrow-Leaved Leek (Allium burdickii) has a much stronger scent, even unpleasant, when compared to the variety of ramp (Allium triccocum) we harvest, cook and consume. They’re much smaller plants with more narrow leaves, and the stems are always green.The Allium tricoccum, in contrast, has broader leaves and the stems can be either green or red.
Burkhart also notes the flower-heads of these plants are shaped differently. The broad leaf ramp has a round snow-ball shaped flower head when in bloom. The Narrow-Leaved Leek has a V- shaped flower head, and much fewer blooms.
The UP researchers will attempt to learn an array of distinguishing traits between the two varieties of plants. They’re growing their sample plants side-by-side in common garden sites, so comparisons will be made under identical environmental conditions. They’ll document the DNA of the 2 species, and test their phytochemistry (which are chemicals derived from plants).
Since documentation on Allium burdickii is so sporadic and there have been so few studies to date, Burkhart says we should not assume it is edible and we should not attempt to harvest it.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) has received four awards in the 30th annual Communicator Awards. This year’s Communicator Award winners were selected from a pool of over 3,000 submissions from around the world by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA).
Flooding throughout the day Monday caused significant damage to roads, houses and bridges in central and southern West Virginia. There have been no deaths reported so far due to flooding. Officials are still working to assess damage. Many houses were flooded, and some were washed away.
Edible Mountain follows botanists, conservationists, and enthusiastic hobbyists in the field as they provide insight on sustainable forest foraging. The episodes are designed to increase appreciation and accessibility to the abundance found in Appalachia, celebrating the traditional knowledge and customs of Appalachian folk concerning plants and their medical, religious, and social uses.