Yorktown Onions

More than thirty-five years ago, I "landed" in Virginia from the Midwest.

My husband and I would go out and explore our new state.

One day while driving along the York River in the county of the same name,

I was mesmerized by a purple flowering plant that grew wild.

A huge globe of purple flowers sat at the top of a long stem.

Photo credit: Richard_b via morguefile.com

I was so enchanted, I picked one 

and brought it home to our tiny apartment.

Years later, I learned that these plants, called Yorktown Onion

(allium ampeloprasum, also called wild leek) are protected by county law.

 Not sure why since they aren't a native plant,

but since the seeds supposedly came over during the Revolutionary War,

there must be some connection to the Yorktown Battlefield.

Copy and paste this link into your browser:

 http://thequeenofseaford.blogspot.com/2009/06/yorktown-onions_06.html

you'll see the Yorktown Onions growing wild. 

You'll be glad you did.

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