March 1st: Leeks

In olden times each day of the year had a plant dedicated to it, usually in honour of one of the saints whose feast day it was. On March 1st the Plant of the day is the Leek, dedicated to, no prizes for guessing, St David.

1. The leeks we eat are cultivars of Allium ampeloprasum, the broadleaf wild leek. Cultivars of the leek include 'King Richard' and 'Tadorna Blue'.
2. The name of the vegetable comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘leac’ meaning ‘herb’ or ‘plant’.
3. Leek plants usually have a diameter between 2.5 and 6 centimetres (1 and 2.4 inches), and can reach 1.5 metres (5 feet) in height. The edible part is a pseudostem made from bunched up leaves. The White part, known as the shank, has been blanched as the plant pushes its way through the soil.
4. Leeks have been eaten for millennia. They were eaten in Ancient Egypt - dried leeks and depictions of them on wall carvings have been found on archaeological sites. In the Bible, the leek is one of the foods listed in the Book of Numbers as one of the foods the Children of Israel missed after leaving Egypt.
5. Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician and ‘father of medicine’ prescribed the leek as a cure for nosebleeds.
6. The Emperor Nero liked leeks a lot - in fact, his nickname was Porophagus (leek eater). One reason he liked to eat leeks was that he believed they were good for his singing voice (Welsh people tend to be good at singing so perhaps he was right!)
7. So why is the leek a symbol of Wales? It's not even native to Wales, but was introduced to Britain by Phoenician traders in exchange for Tin. One theory is that when Briton King Cadwallader of Gwynedd was fighting the invading Saxons in a leek field, he came up with the idea that his men should wear leeks in their helmets so they wouldn't kill each other by mistake. His army won the battle. Another theory is that leeks were the only thing St. David would eat during a fast, as he believed it to be a healthy and virtuous plant.
8. The leek appeared on the coronation gown of Elizabeth II, designed by Norman Hartnell. It was there as a symbol of Wales. Hartnell would have preferred to use the other symbol of Wales, the Daffodil, because daffodils are prettier, but he was told he must use the leek.
9. Extraordinary qualities were claimed for leeks in St. David's time. People back then said leeks were high in fibre, good for purging the Blood, keeping colds at bay and healing wounds. It was even said that if a young woman sleeps with one under her pillow she will dream of her future husband. Today we know that leeks are a rich source of dietary fibres, vitamins of the B-group, vitamins A, C and K and minerals such as Potassium, Iron, calcium and magnesium.
10. Finally, Shakespeare mentions leeks, too. In his play Henry V, Henry tells the Welsh officer Fluellen that he is wearing a leek “for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman.”

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