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Tried and tested, resistant or even strange - garlic has many facets. Find out here which types of garlic you shouldn't miss.
Garlic (Allium sativum) has become an integral part of most kitchens and is now also grown in many gardens. But unfortunately you often only see a few standard varieties romping around in the beds - garlic has a whole variety of different and sometimes exotic varieties to offer.
Garlic Varieties: How Many Are There?
In general, garlic can first be distinguished according to its use. Those varieties are described as "normal" garlic where the garlic cloves are harvested and used in the kitchen. With varieties of chives, only the hearty green is harvested and used in the kitchen. The flower is considered a special delicacy for many types of cut garlic. It is not known exactly how many varieties of garlic there are in total. In food production alone, more than 200 varieties are said to be in use. There are also almost forgotten fancier varieties, numerous conservation varieties and countless wild varieties.
Best Garlic Varieties
There are many different varieties of garlic all over the world - some are snow-white, others are bright pink-violet. In cultivation, this is noticeable not only in the ripening period but also in the formation of flowering shoots and the number of cloves. Even the taste and the shelf life differ significantly. We provide an overview of the two major groups of garlic and introduce you to different varieties and their properties.
Softneck Garlic
The varieties cultivated worldwide mostly come from the softneck group (Allium sativum var. sativum), which does not form a hard flower stalk. It is comparatively undemanding and blooms only very rarely in unfavorable weather. These softneck variants are easier to harvest and braid well. They usually have several rows of garlic cloves, taste mild to hot and last about eight to twelve monthsbe stored. This includes the two subgroups artichoke and silverskin garlic as well as the varieties:
'Arno': Typical variety of garlic with a white skin and a full-bodied taste. It also impresses with high yields and fast growth.
'Cledor': Classic white garlic variety with strong flavor; slow growing, but with very good shelf life.
'Germidour': Also known as the "King of Garlic" due to its delicate, mild aroma and good shelf life. 'Germidour' is resistant to many viral diseases, has an early ripening period and produces interesting purple and white patterned tubers and pink cloves.
'Polish Softneck': A variety of garlic well known for its exceptional cooking properties. When processed, it hardly loses any of its intense, peppery garlic flavor. It is easy to care for in the bed and is therefore also suitable for beginners in garlic cultivation.
'Thermidrome': Robust and high-yielding garlic variety with visually appealing, purple-veined cloves. It is characterized by a very good shelf life.
'Viv alto': Convinces with pink and aromatic garlic cloves. The early variety is ready for harvest as early as July. It is considered extremely easy to care for and is therefore suitable for beginners.
Hardneck Garlic
The varieties of the hardneck group (Allium satium var. ophioscorodon) form a flower stalk in the middle of the daughter bulbs, whereby the upper one part of the shoot twists in different directions like a snake. Eight subgroups are summarized under "Hardneck" or snake garlic: Rocambole, the cold-tolerant porcelain garlic, Purple Stripe, Glazed Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe as well as the Creole, Turban and Asiatic garlic varieties, which only sometimes develop air shoots. The hardneck garlic group includes the following varieties:
'Ajo Rosa': Attractive variety with a distinct pink coloration of the skin. She brings high yields and a hot and spicy flavor to the kitchen.
'Ajo Morado': Red purple garlic grown mainly in Spain. Like many Spanish varieties, this one is famous for its spiciness and distinct garlic flavor.
'Chesnok Wight': British garlic with a very mild, pleasant aroma. This hardneck strain is also good for the rawSuitable for enjoyment.
'Deutscher Porzellan': variety of ancient garlic with four cloves; unique, intense aroma with a long finish. The robust and hardy garlic variety is easy to cultivate and easy to propagate.
'Edenrose': Pink-skinned garlic with a mildly spicy, slightly sweet aroma. The tasty foliage and inflorescences are also edible. 'Edenrose' also convinces with good durability.
'Koreaner Bauer': Asian ancient garlic variety with intense heat. It goes well with spicy dishes such as curry.
Solo garlic: The garlic cloves develop in the first year when the garlic has been propagated via bulblets, i.e. brood buds, and not via cloves. The garlic is very easy to peel and has a pleasantly mild taste. It is sometimes offered in markets, but it is not a garlic variety in its own right.
Elephant Garlic (Allium ampeloprasum subsp. ampeloprasum): Garlic relative with enormous size from to up to 7 cm for tubers and 1.5 m for foliage. The taste of elephant garlic is less intense than garlic and can therefore be prepared like vegetables.
The spicy cloves can not only be grown in the bed, but also only take up a small amount of space and are therefore also very suitable for growing garlic in pots on the balcony and terrace.