As of: March 8, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Sandra Keck
The wild garlic season has begun and foodies are on the hunt.
But where can you find wild garlic and how do you recognize it?
The limited wild garlic season has begun and with it the search for wild garlic.
Simply Tasty provides information about where you can find it and what you should pay attention to when collecting it.
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While walking through the forest, do you notice a special smell of garlic in the air?
This is a sure indication that the short wild garlic season, long awaited by gourmets, has begun.
From the beginning/mid of March, but no later than April, the wild garlic spreads like a bright green carpet over large forest areas and meadows near rivers.
It develops a fine garlic aroma, which is particularly effective when it is made into pesto and then served, for example, with creamy baked cheese embedded in a wild garlic puff pastry spiral.
Where can wild garlic be found?
With these tips, nothing stands in the way of collecting wild garlic on the weekend.
(Symbolic image) © Panthermedia/IMAGO
Wild garlic thrives in the wild in forests and humid regions, mainly in Europe and Asia.
It can often be found in the undergrowth and in shady places.
Anyone who finds what they are looking for there shouldn't just start harvesting wildly.
In some areas, wild garlic is protected or is on private property, so it is not allowed to be collected there or only in small quantities.
In addition, the herb plays an important role in the food chain of many ecosystems.
Therefore the principle applies: you only take what you actually need – and can process.
This will pay off for all foodies next year, because if enough wild garlic is left where it was found, it will grow there again next year.
This saves you having to search again – assuming you can still remember the place in twelve months.
And if you overestimate yourself when collecting, you can preserve wild garlic deliciously and enjoy spring on your plate all year round.
Attention: risk of confusion: This is what wild garlic looks like
Do you happen to come across wild garlic during a spring walk in the forest and are you immediately thrilled by the culinary find?
Understandable, but how can you be sure that the plant you just discovered is actually wild garlic?
You really have to look closely here, because wild garlic is often confused with lily of the valley or autumn crocus.
Both plants are poisonous and should not be consumed under any circumstances as they can have serious health consequences.
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Wild garlic can easily be confused with lily of the valley and autumn crocus.
But appearance, flowers, smell and location help to differentiate.
(Symbolic image) © Manfred Ruckszio / IMAGO
How to avoid confusion:
Wild garlic:
Appearance: A single leaf sprouting from the ground as a stem.
The leaf looks as if it was once folded in half and has a leaf scar on the back.
The back of the wild garlic is dull.
Flowers: single, elongated buds.
Smell: aromatic and intensely garlicky.
Location: Moist deciduous forests and meadows near rivers.
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Lily of the valley and autumn crocus:
Stems and leaves: The leaves grow in pairs from a stem and are shiny on the underside.
Flowers: The flowers of lily of the valley are reminiscent of small bells and autumn crocus usually only bloom in autumn and look like crocuses.
Smell: no typical garlic smell.
Location: Autumn crocus is more likely to be found in meadows and lilies of the valley, such as wild garlic, in the forest.
But be careful!
If you are unsure about the distinction, it is better to buy wild garlic at the weekly market or supermarket for recipes such as wild garlic butter or a vegetarian wild garlic quiche.
As soon as the wild garlic season begins, the wild garlic can also be found freshly packed in bundles.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.