Round-headed leek

A long day out surveying a chalk quarry in Berkshire. I travelled by rail and enjoyed being taken to the station by Chris in his car - payback time for the many lifts I've given him over the years! The quarry wasn't overly exciting, but like many similar sites, had a flora predominantly of native species with a scatter of established garden escapes including this round-headed leek.


In the UK, this species is listed as Vulnerable because it is limited to a single population of less than 1,000 individuals in the Avon Gorge (in the Bristol area it is apparently known as the St Vincent's rock leek as this is where it grows). Its wide distribution across Europe, North Africa and western Asia and its sometimes weedy nature suggest that from a broader viewpoint it might be categorised as Least Concern.


The bulb is edible and is reported to have been eaten in the Lake Baikal region of Siberia since early times. The leaves can also be eaten raw or cooked. The sap is used as a moth repellent and the whole plant is said to deter insects and moles, although the flowers are very attractive to bees. Round-headed leek is a very attractive and easily grown ornamental which can be used as a dried plant in flower arrangements. We have it growing in our garden, where it provides a splash of late summer colour and a valuable nectar source.