Today's cultivated varieties of leek are derived from the species Allium ampeloprasum which grows wild in the Mediterranean region, as well as in southern England and Persia. It was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans and is also mentioned in the Old Testament.
The outermost skin gives the bulb its colour, which varies, depending on the variety, from silvery white, white to dark brown, red and violet. It also protects the bulb from drying out and therefore should not be removed during storage.
The Welsh onion has a milder flavour than the common onion. Unlike the latter, which is grown as a biennial, it is hardy and perennial. Another advantage is that the small elongated bulbs grow in clusters as part of one single bulb which breaks up into several smaller onions as it grows.
The Welsh onion has a swollen flowering stem growing up to 2 cm (i-in) thick and 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) tall. Being a native of southeastern Siberia it is resistant to frost and will overwititer successfully outdoors. The green parts may be used the same as chives.
Planting the seedlings in deep holes and earthing-up the plants blanches the leeks. The blanched sections are much more tender than the green parts, which are usually discarded.
Onions always caused an irritant reaction when you look at it. As in other onions, the irritant action is produced by an essential oil containing organically bound sulphur. - 15266
The outermost skin gives the bulb its colour, which varies, depending on the variety, from silvery white, white to dark brown, red and violet. It also protects the bulb from drying out and therefore should not be removed during storage.
The Welsh onion has a milder flavour than the common onion. Unlike the latter, which is grown as a biennial, it is hardy and perennial. Another advantage is that the small elongated bulbs grow in clusters as part of one single bulb which breaks up into several smaller onions as it grows.
The Welsh onion has a swollen flowering stem growing up to 2 cm (i-in) thick and 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 ft) tall. Being a native of southeastern Siberia it is resistant to frost and will overwititer successfully outdoors. The green parts may be used the same as chives.
Planting the seedlings in deep holes and earthing-up the plants blanches the leeks. The blanched sections are much more tender than the green parts, which are usually discarded.
Onions always caused an irritant reaction when you look at it. As in other onions, the irritant action is produced by an essential oil containing organically bound sulphur. - 15266
