Ramps
along the Kimsey Creek Trail between Deep Gap and
Standing
Indian Campground
The
ramp is a perennial spring ephemeral herb that is broadly distributed in eastern
North America from the Southern Appalachians to southern Québec and as far west
as the eastern portions of the Dakotas (see Ramp
Distribution Map). In the Southern Appalachians, it is commonly
associated with cove and northern hardwood forests (Rock 1996) and is often
found on moist colluvial slopes, depressions, and stream side bluffs (Jones
1979). Ramps are commonly found between 3500 and 4500 ft in elevation (1070-1370
m) but have been found as high as 5390 ft (1640 m) in our study. Tree species
commonly associated with ramps include Buckeye (Aesculus flava), Sugar
Maple(Acer saccharum), Yellow Birch (Betula allegheniensis),
Yellow Poplar(Liriodendron tulipifera), Black Cherry(Prunus serotina),
Beech(Fagus grandifolia), basswood (Tilia americana), striped
maple(Acer pensylvanicum) and many others.
Dutchmen's
Britches
Squirrel
Corn
Trout Lily
Spring ephemeral herbs
commonly
associated with ramps include spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana),
squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis), Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra
cucullaria), Stinking Willie(Trillium erectum), trout lily(Erythronium
Umbellicatum), foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), wood anemone (Anemone
quinquefolia), and dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolium).
Other common herbaceous associates blooming mostly in summer include
Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), Black cohosh(Actaea racemosa),
blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), dolls eyes (Actaea pachypoda),
, false hellebore (Melanthium parviflorum ), Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum
biflorum and P. pubescens), Yellow mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosum),
Christmas fern (Polystichum acroisticroides), wood nettle (Laportea
canadensis) and many others.
Trillium erectum (purple form)
Trillium erectum (pale yellow form)
Typically,
ramp leaves first appear as early as late February, with the photosynthetic
phase lasting through mid-May. Leaf senescence occurs with tree canopy leaf out,
by which time the flowering stalk has begun to emerge (Rock 1996). Flowers bloom
in June and July and seeds ripen by late summer, requiring a year of dormancy
before germinating (Nault and Gagnon 1993).
Early ramps – middle of March
Most
systematists agree that there are two distinct taxa of ramps, but disagree about
the taxonomic level for distinction. Hanes
and Owenby (1946; Hanes 1953) recognized two varieties of ramps, Allium
tricoccum Aiton var. tricoccum and
var. burdickii Hanes, but more recently, Jones (1979) recognized the taxa
as two separate species. Jones made
this determination after examining herbarium specimens throughout the species’
range and conducting detailed studies on populations in Illinois. Allium
tricoccum is larger and has more flowers than A.
burdickii, and often has a red-pigmented scape and petiole. A.
tricoccum usually forms extensive colonies whereas A. burdickii occurs in scattered small clumps of 3-12 individuals
(Jones 1979). These species bloom at different times, which serve as a
phenological barrier to hybridization (Jones 1979). While most botanists, ramp diggers and other ramp enthusiasts
acknowledge seeing both white and red stemmed ramps in the Southern
Appalachians, these may only be color variants of the same species (A.
tricoccum). For a more detailed review of the status of A.
burdickii (Kauffman 2001), click on
A.
burdickii status .
Based on field and herbarium work by our research unit, Gary Kauffman
(Botanist, Nantahala National Forest), Dave Danley (Botanist, Pisgah National
Forest) and Jame Amoroso (Botanist, NC Natural Heritage Program), there is no
consistent evidence available to verify the presence of A.
burdickii in North Carolina as
a species morphologically distinct from A.
tricoccum . According to Jame Amoroso and Gary Kauffman, the rank of A.
burdickii in North Carolina has recently been changed from SR
(significantly rare), to W3, (reported for North Carolina but
without adequate documentation).
Hauling ramps after a big harvest Happy Ramping….
A
small “mess” of ramps
Ramps
are historically and culturally important to the people of the Southern
Appalachians. Ramps were important to the Native Americans that first lived in
this region and to the first european settlers. Today a wide variety of people
dig ramps for a variety of reasons. For many, it is a highly valued tradition to
go to the woods in the early spring and dig a “mess” of ramps. Ramps
function for many as a spring “tonic”. Having a strong flavor, somewhere
between garlic and onion, ramps add a distinctive flavor to any dish. In the
Southern Appalachians, collectors harvest ramps for personal consumption, for
ramp festivals, or for commercial sale at farmers markets, roadside stands and
gourmet restaurants. Ramp festivals
are very popular springtime fund-raising events throughout the Southern
Appalachians. The European counterpart to ramps, the old world ramson or bear
leek, Allium ursinum, is widespread in
Europe and is used medicinally.
Are
current levels of ramp harvest sustainable? We don’t know . National Forests are
required to maintain biological diversity and to assure sustainable harvests of
forest products, including perennial herbs used for food or medicinal purposes.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that ramp populations in some areas of the Southern
Appalachians have declined. Biologists working for Federal and state agencies (USDA
Forest Service, USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, and North Carolina Department of
Agriculture) and The Nature Conservancy are concerned that populations of ramps
are declining in some areas of the Appalachians. Ongoing research by Southern Research Station Scientists is
trying to address these concerns. For more information on our research
efforts, click on link below.
Ramp Research Summary
back to Other Research links
More related
links of interest...
References
Cited:
Hanes,
C.R. 1953. Allium tricoccum Ait., var burdickii,
var nov. Rhodora 55:243.
Hanes,
C.R. and Owenby, M. 1946.
Some observations on two ecological races of
Allium tricoccum in Kalazoo County, Michigan.
Rhodora 48:61-63.
Jones,
A.G. 1979. A study of wild leek,
and the recognition of Allium burdickii
(Liliaceae). Systematic Botany
4:29-43.
Kauffman, Gary L. Spring
2001. Allium burdickii in the
southern Appalachians: Does it
exist and how rare is it? Chinquapin
9(1).
Nault,
A. and Gagnon, D.
1993. Ramet demography of Allium
tricoccum, a spring ephemeral, pernnial forest herb.
Journal of Ecology 81:101-119.
Rock,
J. 1996. The impact of harvesting
ramps (Allium tricoccum Ait.) in Great
Smoky Mountains National Park. Report, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107
Park Headquarters Rd., Gatlinburg, TN 37738.