Leek
Allium ampeloprasum
Also called Leeks
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitDrop each seedling into a deep dibbed hole and just fill it with water. The buried stem is the white part.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 4 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Hardy — an average winter RHS H4, to -10°C
- Size
- 0.3 m tall · 0.3 m across
- Lifecycle
- Biennial
- Origin
- Mediterranean
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: vomiting, damage to the red blood cells (anaemia), blood in the urine, weakness, a racing heart and panting.
PeopleNothing recorded against it
Safe to eat: the stem and leaves.
Checked against ASPCA, RHS and Johnny's Selected Seeds on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Bright orange dusty streaks along the outer leaves in a wet late summer, worst on a bed fed hard with nitrogen or planted too close.Leek rust · disease
- Pale dried-out window panes scraped along the inside of a leaf fold, with a fine grain of frass sitting in the crease.Leek moth · pest
- Two or three plants together yellowing from the leaf tips down; lift one and the base carries a white cottony fur studded with black pinheads.Onion white rot · disease