Leek

Allium porrum

Leeks are the gentler, sweeter allium, with white and pale-green layered stalks. Their mildness comes between onion and garlic, without either ingredient’s sharpest edge.¹

Connections

They are close relatives of onion and garlic, all members of the genus Allium. Leeks are grown for their long layered leaf bases rather than a round bulb.¹

Further notes

Leeks need a long head start in Maine: Extension lists them at 10–12 weeks indoors before planting out in mid-to-late spring.²

Footnotes

1. University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Food & Nutrition for the Home Gardener,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩ ↩²

2. University of Maine Cooperative Extension, “Maine Vegetable Gardening: Keep Your Garden Growing,” accessed July 17, 2026. ↩