TYPES OF GARLIC
Oregon State University

Two species, Allium sativum (domestic) and A. longicuspis (wild) of garlic are recognized. They are so similar visually that these species distinctions are not generally used. A more useful distinction is the classification of garlic into softneck and hardneck types. All wild garlic is of the hardneck type but domestic garlic may be either hardneck or softneck. Both begin with leafy tissue in spring but hardneck garlic will produce a seed stalk in late May or June.

Hardneck garlic is represented by varieties such as Roja, German Red, and Valencia. Continental garlic may be purple striped or white, and includes many of the southern varieties. Creole garlic is the type grown in Mexico, South America and the Imperial Valley of California. It is covered with a deep purple skin, is quite late and is not suited for production in the Pacific Northwest.

With some of these varieties, seedstalks may often be topped with a cluster of small capsules called bulbels (also referred to as bulbils, topsets or, erroneously, bulblets). Although bulbels are sometimes used to produce small garlic bulbs, the seedstalks should be removed as they appear in order to minimize yield reduction of the crop. The term bulblet is more correctly applied to the small round bulbs embedded in the scales of, or attached to the large main bulb of certain cultivars and types. Bulblets are especially common in elephant garlic.

Softneck garlic is also referred to as Silverskin, artichoke, or Italian. Softneck types are best represented by the varieties California Early and California Late (also categorized as artichoke types). Silverskin garlic may also be differentiated into many-cloved or few-cloved varieties, and may also be tan, all white, or purple tinged. Numerous strains exist, having been selected over the years by the various companies that produce them for dehydration (Creole), or growers producing them for fresh market. Silverskin garlic rarely, if ever, produces seedstalks.

Further general classifications (each with its own group of varieties or strains) include: Rocambole, Continental (eastern European), porcelain and Asiatic (all hardneck types).

Elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) is not a true garlic but a type of leek that produces very large cloves, often only 3 or 4 per bulb. Several small bulblets may also develop. It produces a large seedstalk that may be cut and sold to florists! The tenderer, fleshy lower portion of the seedstalk is also prized for stir-fried Oriental dishes. Elephant garlic is not generally used for dehydration, but is becoming popular for "medicinal" purposes. Flavor is milder than garlic and can be slightly bitter. The fresh market product is sold mainly through farmers' markets or through specialty produce stores or specialty sections of produce supermarkets. More recently, sales to specialty processors for medicinal or health food use have increased.

General Descriptions of Garlic Types

Hardneck types:

Rocambole, serpent, or Bavarian garlic, sandleek, Spanish shallot and top-setting garlic. Their distinctive flower stalks form a coil after they emerge. Blotchy-purple coloration on wrapper leaves, cloves brownish sometimes reddish. Cloves arranged in a circle around the flower stalk and are full flavored.

Roja: Symmetrical, attractive, uniformly colored brownish-red, medium-sized bulbs. Commonly grown by gardeners.

Continental: Purple-striped, symmetrical bulbs. Some purple coloration of cloves.

Porcelain: Tight, paper-white, shiny wrappers. Plump, large cloves.

Asiatic: Uncommon in the northwest. Cloves plump and well defined. Bulbs usually well colored. Skins often very thick. Bulbels often dark purple.

Softneck types:

California Early and California Late. The most common commercial garlic grown in the Pacific Northwest and California. Many selections and strains developed by dehydration companies for their own use in dehydration. Some also used for fresh market. Synonymous with "artichoke" garlic.

"Silverskin" types: Similar to California types above except bulbs have more but smaller cloves. Adapted to colder areas of the Northwest. Numerous strains grown by gardeners.