Garlic: Hardnecks & Softnecks
Rocambole, Purple Stripe, Silverskin, Artichoke & Turban Varieties
Whether hardneck or softneck, your choice of garlic for the garden should be a variety well-suited for your environment.
Garlic (Alium sativum) is an ancient crop grown by humans for several thousand years. A member of the onion and lily family, garlic originated in a broad crescent of south Asia starting in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea region and reaching across northern Iran, Afghanistan and several former Soviet Republics to western China.
Hardneck and Softneck
There are two distinct groups of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Hardnecks, sometimes called ophios, have the Latin name of Alium sativum ophioscorodon. Softnecks are known as Alium sativum sativum.
Most experts agree that the ophio garlics are the oldest and were the first domesticated varieties. They are well adapted to the harsh climates of southern Asia. Their smaller bulbs with many layers of bulb wrappers could withstand the long cold winters and hot dry summers, as well as unmanaged low fertility soils. As garlic was introduced to new areas such as southeast Asia and Europe, it encountered more moisture and better soils. Consequently, bulb size increased and the process of domestication created the softneck or sativum varieties.
Recently dozens of garlic varieties from the former Soviet Republics have become available in Europe and North America. A new classification system in use by commercial growers and seed companies is based on both degree of domestication and annual and geographical environmental influences. When choosing the best variety for growing in your region, keep in mind that ophio garlics grow best in the northern US. Sativum garlics can grow in both the north and south, but are really the only choice for southern growers.
Ophio Varieties:
- Purple Stripes have become very popular with both gardeners and chefs. They are attractive in appearance, very flavorful, store well and peel easily.
- Rocamboleshave a short shelf life, but because they are easy to peel and have big cloves, are preferred by cooks and chefs.
- Porcelain garlic varieties are quite new to the US but are gaining in popularity due to good storage and large cloves, often the size of Brazil nuts.
Sativum Varieties:
- Artichokegarlics are named for their resemblance to an artichoke. They are the most commonly grown garlics in the US. This group includes Susanville and California Early varieties that are the main crop in Gilroy, California. They make a large white bulb with mild taste, have from 12 to 24 cloves and are adapted to a wide range of soil and climate.
- Turbans are a subgroup of the Artichoke variety, mild to hot in taste. They make medium sized bulbs from small plants.
- Silverskin, also known as Italian, is the second most popular group which includes Silverwhite and Mild French varieties. Their taste varies from mild to hot, cloves can number from 8 to 40 and they are very good storage garlic, lasting from 6-12 months.
- Creoles are a subgroup of the Silverskin variety but they exhibit some characteristics of purple stripes (hardnecks). They prefer southern latitudes in the US.
Garlic is a staple in Mediterranean cooking, or try this savory roast chicken recipe.
