Three-cornered Leek

Three-cornered Leek

Scientific Name

Common Names

Family

Irish Name

Allium triquetrum

wild blackberry, brambles

Amaryllidaceae

Glaschrreamh

 Scientific Name

Allium triquetrum

 Common Name

three-cornered garlic, snowbell 

 Family

Amaryllidaceae

 Irish Name

Glaschrreamh

This page is currently being edited. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

Plant Description

If you have ever picked a blackberry off of a bush in your lifetime, then congratulations, you can say that you have foraged before:) 

How to identify

Blackberries grow everywhere, in woodlands, on hedges and on walls. There is little to say about how to identify this plant, as you have most likely picked its delicious fruits before. 

One of the most reliable identification features is the plant’s texture. The leaves have a distinctly waxy, almost fake feeling, which makes them stand out from similar species. In my experience, this is the easiest way to distinguish the plants from similar species. 

Harvesting Time

February until October.

The plant leaves are best picked during Spring all the way until the end of April. When the plant flowers in April, it will start to put most of its energy into the flowers, causing the leaves to wilt. To extend the harvesting season of the leaves, it is important to harvest most of the leaves from a selection of plants early in the spring. This encourages regrowth later in the season, typically around August, allowing for a second harvest that can continue through to the beginning of winter.

The plant’s flowers can be harvested and are 

The roots are edible and have a faint beetroot taste but are not considered worth the effort. 

Nutritional information per 100g

Sea beet contains high levels of vitamin C – about 36 mg per 100 g. The fresh young leaves are high in vitamins K (988 mg per 100 g) and B (302 ug per 100 g), and nutrients such as calcium (67 mg per 100 g), zinc (845 ug per 100 g), and iron (almost 3 mg per 100 g). The leaves are also rich in vitamin A. It is a good source of dietary fibre.

Recipes

Safety Notice

Excessive use of beets could cause hypocalcemia, kidney damage or toxicity from the plant oxalates.