How to forage and eat three-corner garlic in Australia
There are a few wild plants that we call onionweed in Australia. Two are in the onion subfamily while others are not related.
This article is about the most delicious wild garlic that you can find on this side of the planet: Three-corner Garlic AKA onion weed - Allium triquetrum.
Read on to learn how to identify the good ones, with clear instructions on how to distinguish the not-so-good ones. We might even throw in a recipe or two.
How to identify three-corner garlic.
Allium triquetrum is known by a variety of names, including three-corner garlic, three-cornered leek, angled onion, and onionweed. It creates clusters of grass-like leaves and has a distinctive garlic odour when you get close to it. The bright green leaves appear in early spring, followed by 30-50cm tall stalks topped by groups of white 6-petalled flowers. There is a distinctive green line through the middle of each petal. The most obvious identifier is the triangular cross-section of the flower’s stalk. See images below.
A bunch of young three-corner garlic
Typical flower of three-corner garlic, white petals with a green stripe through the middle of each
The stalk of three-corner garlic is triangular in cross-section
Where to find three-corner garlic.
The plants love wet environments and good soil. It is common along creek banks in agricultural, urban, and sometimes native ecologies. It can form exclusive clusters for the short period of its cycle (about 6-8 weeks). It grows around Brisbane and southeast Queensland, southeast Australia, and in the temperate regions of Perth and southwest Western Australia. It is extremely prolific in Victoria, and Tasmania. See map for reference.
The other onionweed, Nothoscordum sp., with round stalks. Click on image for a full report.
Lookalikes
The most immediate look-alike is Nothoscordun inodorum - which also goes by the name onionweed. They are very similar in appearance, and size and the flower is alike, but the stalk is round and not triangular. Also, Nothhoscordum has a lesser scent of garlic. It is still edible but of inferior quality. See the image here or read the full article here for comparison.
Another onionweed, Asphodelus fistulosus. Not the one you want. It does not smell like onion.
One other onionweed
In agricultural settings, there is another plant referred to as onionweed, but it is not a true onion ( Alliaceae subfamily). It is also a short-lived annual, with similar flower clusters, with a pink tinge, not pure white. It does not smell like garlic at all.
Click on the image or here for a full report by Weeds.org.au
How to harvest three-corner garlic.
When harvesting this plants please be aware that if you rip it out by the root it will not be there again next year.
The plant forms dense clusters and that can give the impression that it is very resilient and would come back after a greedy forage, but that is not the case. Often, wild plants take a considerable amount of time before bouncing back from a harvest, so please be nice to the colony, only cut a few leaves here and there leaving most of the underground bulbs in place, so that the colony brings back more yummy greens next spring.
Timing is also critical, as this yummy treat has a very short season. Three-corner garlic sprouts in July-August, the leaves grow big for harvest in September and by the end of October it is already fruiting and gone dormant for another year. Effectively you would only have a 4-6 week foraging window. The best thing to do is locate your colony and be ready for when the plant is at its best.
Be mindful to harvest ethically, only take what you need. Leave plenty for the colony to thrive
The tiny bulbs of three-corner garlic
How to cook three-corner garlic
If you like spring onions, chives, or garlic, you will love this plant. It is delicious raw or cooked. You can eat the whole plant, from bulbs to leaves and flowers. Below is a yummy Italian-inspired recipe from Marnee Fox of Forage To Feast, who makes pesto with it. Most chefs use it as garnish when plating fish or meat dishes and the flowers themselves are not only pretty but very tasty. Three-corner garlic also makes for excellent mini-onion pickles, which in our household we love to serve on cheese platters or to top off a freshly baked pie just ready to serve.
Jars of pickled three-corner garlic AKA onion weed
A polenta dish with three-corner garlic
More pickles from a few years back
Three-corner garlic+macadamia pesto
Yummy three-corner garlic pesto- Click on image for a full article.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Storage: Keep in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or freeze as cubes or in a container.
Serves: Makes about 1 cup :
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE A VIDEO OF HOW TO IDENTIFY THREE CORNBER GARLIC AKA ONIONWEED, AND HOW TO MAKE A PESTO WITH IT
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh three-corner garlic
½ cup roasted macadamias
½ cup of shaved parmesan
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Three corner garlic flowers to garnish
Method:
After collecting your three corner garlic, wash it well to get rid of any dirt or bugs and pull out any brown or sad-looking stalks or flowers.
Remove a few of the flowers and set aside to use as a garnish. These have a deliciously strong flavour too and are oh so pretty.
Chop your three-corner garlic well and add it to a food processor.
Now add the olive oil, parmesan, and macadamias and blend until you get the consistency you are after.
Add salt and pepper little by little until you get the right level for you.
If you want to use the pesto as a sauce, add more oil and mix again. If you are after a creamy pesto, you can add 300ml of cream to the blender which makes the most delicious pasta sauce.
Reference
ABC’s Organic Gardener on edible weeds, including three-corner garlic
My article on the other onionweed
The Veggie Tree, an excellent article on three-corner garlic in Australia with some great recipes
The Urban Nanna on three-corner garlic
Let’s Eat Weeds on three-corner garlic and some lookalikes
Weeds Australia on a weedy lookalike
Wikipedia on the subfamily of onions
Wikipedia on three-corner garlic
Australian Living Atlas on three-corner garlic
Wild Food UK on three-corner garlic
Distribution map of three-corner garlic
