About Allium tricoccum var. burdickii Hanes
Allium tricoccum (common name ramps) is a perennial plant that grows from an ovoid-conical bulb 2–6 cm (1–2 in) long. Plants usually form a cluster of 2 to 6 bulbs, which produce broad, flat, smooth, light green leaves. Including their narrow petioles, the leaves measure 20–30 cm (8–12 in) long, and the lower stems often have deep purple or burgundy tints. The bulbs themselves are white, surrounded by brownish to grayish sheathing. One flowering stem grows from each bulb cluster. Flowers are arranged in an umbel on an erect scape that is typically 10–40 cm (4–16 in) long. Before opening, the flowers are enclosed by two ovate bracts, which fall away when the flowers enter anthesis. The flowering stem remains standing after the plant fruits. Most often, flowering happens after the plant’s leaves have died back; this differs from the similar species Allium ursinum, which has visible leaves and flowers at the same time. Ramps grow in dense, strongly rooted groups just below the soil surface. Flowering occurs from June or July through August. The flowers have white, cream, or yellowish tepals that are 4–7 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) long. Stamens are roughly the same height as the tepals; their filaments have widened bases and are inserted on the corolla. After flowering and fertilization, three-lobed green fruits develop that open through three valves. The seeds are round, black, and shiny. The species Allium tricoccum is widespread across eastern Canada and the eastern United States. Allium tricoccum var. tricoccum grows in rich, moist woodland soils, including depressions, streamside bluffs, and colluvial slopes. This variety, Allium tricoccum var. burdickii Hanes, grows in the dry soils of upland woods. Allium tricoccum is popular in the cuisine of rural upland areas within its native range. Both the white lower leaf stalks and the broad green leaves are edible. It is considered an early spring vegetable, with a strong garlic-like odor and distinct onion flavor. Ramps are growing in popularity at restaurants across North America, as their combined onion and strong garlic flavor works for many cooking styles. In central Appalachia, ramps are most often fried with potatoes in bacon fat, or scrambled with eggs and served with bacon, pinto beans, and cornbread. They can also be pickled, used in soups, or substituted for onions and garlic in other dishes. Multiple ramp-focused food festivals are held across the eastern United States each year: Richwood, West Virginia hosts the annual April "Feast of the Ramson", also called the "Ramp Feed" locally, which is sponsored by the National Ramp Association. The event draws thousands of ramp enthusiasts from far away to sample ramp-based foods, and local restaurants serve a wide variety of ramp dishes throughout ramp season, which runs from late winter to early spring. Elkins, West Virginia holds the "Ramps and Rails Festival" on the last weekend of April each year, which includes a cook-off and ramp-eating contests, and draws several hundred attendees annually. Cosby, Tennessee, which borders Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has hosted the "Cosby Ramp Festival" — one of the largest and oldest ramp festivals in the U.S. — on the first weekend of May every year since 1954. The festival has drawn up to 30,000 visitors in past years, and has been attended by former President Harry Truman, with performances by notable musical acts including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Eddy Arnold, Roy Acuff, Bill Monroe, Minnie Pearl, and Brenda Lee. Along with ramp food, traditional music, dancing, and celebration of the plant, the festival crowns a young woman "Maid of Ramps" each year. Flag Pond, Tennessee hosts its annual Ramp Festival on the second Saturday of May each year, with a wide selection of ramp-inspired foods and music from multiple Appalachian groups, drawing hundreds of attendees annually. Whitetop, Virginia holds its annual ramp festival on the third weekend of May, sponsored by the Mount Rogers volunteer fire department. The event features local music from Wayne Henderson and other bands, a barbecued chicken meal with fried potatoes, ramps, and local green beans, and ramp-eating contests for both children and adults. An annual ramp convention in Haywood County, North Carolina, has drawn up to 4,000 participants annually since it was founded around 1925. Huntington, West Virginia holds an annual ramp festival called Stink Fest, hosted by The Wild Ramp, an indoor farmers market. Mason-Dixon Park in Greene County, Pennsylvania hosts an annual ramp festival in late April, featuring ramp delicacies, music, crafts, and vendors. Mason-Dixon Historical Park in Core, West Virginia offers a Ramp Dinner and Wildflower Walk each spring.
