Description
When harvested young, the wild Ramp has delicate, broad lily of the valley-like leaves and a thin spindly scallion-like stalk that trails into an indistinct bulb. The leaves are green and the stalk may be white or pink, marketed with its edible roots attached. The Ramp has a piquant onion and garlic flavor with a woodsy, pungent aroma.
The entire plant is edible, including the roots. The underground bulb will continue to grow out into the summer and fall and the leaves are replaced by flowers, then seeds. Aging seed stalks (known as the skeleton) contain tiny globular black seeds, which are the forager's indicator of where Ramps are located.
The plant's bulbs are harvested into the fall and sold like garlic cloves.