THE MANY USES OF WILD ONIONS

There is an unspoken rule among field biologists (biologists whose studies occur outdoors) – those with the most field guides when they die wins.  I just added another delightful guide to my collection.  “Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide” by Kelly Kindscher is my latest treat.  So you will not be at all surprised that today I’m focusing on an abundant plant that is out right now… the wild onion (Allium canadense).  Alliums are members of the lily family (Liliaceae) and appears to mean “pungent”.  Well named!  Wild onions have been used as a food source (duh) and Native Americans used them for a wild variety of medicinal purposes.  The wild onion bulb was used to make a tea to control coughing, as an eyewash, and for ear infections.  It was also apparently used for a mysterious illness that caused the penis to swell and constipation.  The roots and stems were pulverized into a goo to treat carbuncles (a cluster of puss filled boils).  Who knew?  Next time you are cursing the wild onions in your yard for spoiling the look of your beautiful monoculture, take a moment to fight back and eat them!  Who knows, you might reduce your cough or have a new treatment for those carbuncles (or other issues to delicate to discuss further)!