The White Carpet of the Woods

Habit: Perennial, erect plant, 20-40 cm tall. It has a thin, oblong bulb, surrounded by entire, whitish, membranous tunics, from which a semi-cylindrical, conspicuously angular flower stalk emerges. The entire plant gives off an intense garlic-like odor. Leaves: Generally two in number, all basal, oval-lanceolate in shape. They are 10-20 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, and have a long, winged petiole (5-15 cm). The leaf blade is bright green and tender. Along with Allium victorialis, it is the only wild garlic to have leaves so broad and large compared to the typical linear, narrow leaves of the genus. Flowers: Gathered in an inflorescence located at the top of the scape, it is a subspherical and irregular umbel, 3-6 cm wide, composed of 6-20 flowers. Before flowering, it is entirely enclosed by a papery spathe (entire or divided into 2-3 lobes) that falls early (deciduous). The individual flowers have a peduncle up to 2 cm long and are made up of 6 white, lanceolate tepals (about 1 cm long), significantly longer than the stamens. Fruits: Triloculated capsules that, when ripe, open longitudinally by cracking, releasing the black, globose seeds. Flowering: April - June.

Chorological type: Eurasian. Distribution in Italy: Common and present in almost all regions of Italy, with particular frequency in cool hilly and mountainous areas. Habitat: It populates broadleaf forests (especially beech and oak woods), shady, cool, and humid places. It often forms very dense and spectacular colonies in humid valleys and along watercourses, preferring fertile, deep, and humus-rich soils, from the plains to the submontane zone (0 - 1500 meters above sea level).

Genus (Allium): It derives from the classical Latin allium, the original etymology of which is debated. The main hypotheses include an Indo-European root *ālu- (bitter herb), a loanword from the Greek ἄγλις (áglis, head of garlic) of Akkadian origin, or a phonetic link with the Latin ala, hypothesizing the image of the bulb divided into "wings" (the cloves).

Species (ursinum): From the Latin ursinus (of bears). The reference is linked both to the dense woodlands where the plant grows and to an ancient popular belief according to which bears, just awakened from winter hibernation, avidly seek out this plant to cleanse their bodies of toxins accumulated during months of inactivity.

Specie commestibile e officinale. Condivide le medesime proprietà dell'aglio comune (A. sativum), agendo come potente antielmintico (vermifugo), diuretico, stimolante gastrico, antisettico e coleretico (regolatore della bile). È un eccellente depurativo del sangue. Per uso esterno, le foglie fresche pestate e applicate come cataplasma hanno proprietà rubefacenti e lenitive contro ascessi e foruncoli.

Uso culinario: In primavera le foglie tenere, tritate finemente, sono ottime per insaporire insalate o per preparare un burro aromatico dal sapore delicato, meno pungente rispetto all'aglio coltivato. Si usano per aromatizzare zuppe, patate, uova e cicorie, aggiungendole rigorosamente a fine cottura per preservarne l'aroma. I bulbi possono sostituire in tutto e per tutto l'aglio comune.

Tradizionalmente si produce un condimento simile al pesto alla genovese, composto da circa il 40% di foglie fresche tritate, mandorle sminuzzate, sale, pepe e un'abbondante copertura di olio extravergine d'oliva, ottimo su pasta, patate lesse o pesce (come sgombro e merluzzo).

Prima della fioritura, le foglie di Allium ursinum possono essere facilmente scambiate con quelle del Mughetto (Convallaria majalis L.), che è una pianta altamente tossica. Il metodo infallibile per distinguerle consiste nello stropicciare le foglie tra le dita: quelle dell'aglio orsino emanano immediatamente un forte e inconfondibile odore agliaceo.