March

Ramsons

A distinctly delicious sign of the old and of spring

The birds have started to sing differently, the days are getting longer, and at last it is starting to feel a bit warmer, but it’s just a shame the rain hasn’t stopped yet, especially for our farmers who are trying to get on the land at this time of year!

But for me, I have just come back from a week off work and surprisingly managed to dodge all the rain here in Hampshire and for the four days we were in Suffolk on holiday. While visiting my parents in the Meon Valley in Hampshire, we decided to go for a long walk to exercise the dogs and my young daughter. Luckily we took waterproofs as we had all the seasons in three hours! My daughter spent most of her time jumping in the puddles and enjoying getting covered head-to-toe in mud, but luckily she was dressed well for the occasion, because as I always say, “There is no such thing as inclement weather, just inadequate clothing”, and there is nothing worse than a sad, soggy child miles away from home!

While walking along old footpaths, which are rarely used, through open fields, sunken paths and ancient woodlands, we noticed the ramsons (also known as wild garlic) leaves were starting to peek through, which gave me the idea for this species of the month - ramsons (Allium ursinum).

According to my beat-up bible of plants, The Wild Flower Key by Francis Rose (2006 edition), it states that ramsons is a particularly special plant as it is considered to be an ancient woodland indicator species across most of the country apart from Dorset, Somerset, North-East Yorkshire and Angus.

The definition of ancient woodland is that it has persisted in that place since 1600 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 1750 in Scotland.

What is an ancient woodland indicator (AWI) species, I hear you say! Well, in this case they are vascular plants that can be used as an indicator (generally when found to be growing with a number of other AWI in the same woodland) that the woodland they are growing within is ancient, or even in areas that were once wooded but are now sadly lost.

What does ramsons look like?

At this time of year in February, the long, bright glossy green, oval pointy leaves are emerging from the bulbous perennial hidden under the leaf litter, and are easily identified by the very distinctive garlicky smell if picked or crushed under foot.

From April the small, white, star-like flowers burst into constellations on the woodland floor. They have six petals on a thin stalk, with around 25 flowers forming each rounded flower cluster, which is held high on a single, leafless stalk. I think they look like sparklers when in full flower!

Foraging

I have spent many an hour picking ramsons, either when I am out doing fieldwork or in my free time, as I love the taste of it and it is so versatile – from using the raw young leaves in a salad to stuffing a homemade ramsons pesto under the skin of a roast chicken or in pheasant breasts to keep them moist. Not only does it taste good, it’s also packed full of allicin, the sulphurous compound that gives garlic and other members of the chive family their distinctive odour. Studies have shown that allicin has anti-inflammatory properties, helps inhibit fat deposition, decreases blood pressure, and serves as an anti-oxidant. So, eating early ramsons leaves in spring is a good way to counteract those indulgent lunches during the season!

Word of warning – if you fancy going foraging, do not confuse ramsons with lily-of-the-valley when not in flower. Lily-of-the-valley is poisonous, so be sure to fully identify ransoms before you pick to eat!

Lily-of-the-valley and ramsons look quite similar, but the leaves of ramsons grow from the plant base whereas lily-of-the-valley has two or three leaves on its stem. When in flower, lily-of-the-valley is easily distinguishable from ramsons as it has bell-shaped, white flowers.

Distribution

Found throughout the UK, but most common in the south.

Did you know?

• Ramsons is said to repel cats. Perhaps they don’t like the smell!
• It has traditionally been used in medicine, the bulb being one of the key ingredients in tonics for rheumatic problems and high cholesterol. In ancient times, ramsons was used as a remedy for various ailments, including digestive issues and respiratory problems.
• The scientific name for ramsons is Allium ursinum. The name ‘ursinum’ comes from the Latin word for bear, as bears are known to eat the bulbs after hibernation.
• Wild garlic is high in vitamins A and C, as well as minerals like iron and calcium. These nutrients are essential for maintaining good health and the plant also has natural antibacterial properties, which can help fight infections and boost your immune system

So when you see this special plant, which gives a nod to the past and is good for your health, make sure you have the landowner’s permission if you wish to pick a few leaves and please do it sustainably, take home only what you need for personal use, and watch out for the bears!

Mike Short’s wild garlic pesto

GWCT Head of Predation Research Mike Short has a passion for food and foraging, and is well known to be a good cook amongst us at HQ. See below Mike’s own recipe for wild garlic pesto.

• 50g wild garlic leaves
• 25g pine nuts
• 30g parmesan/pecorino cheese (finely grated)
• 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
• 75-125ml of extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt, black pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

Method

Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 10 seconds. Quickly refresh in ice-cold water, drain and dry with absorbent kitchen paper. Pop the leaves, pine nuts, chopped garlic and olive oil into a food processor and pulse to the desired consistency. Scrape the mixture into a bowl using a flexible rubber spatula to gather every last drop. Stir in the grated cheese, season to taste and it’s ready to use. To store some, spoon the pesto into a sterilised glass jar, stir to remove pockets of air, and seal the surface with a glug of extra virgin oil. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks and the flavour will mellow.