Garlic varieties: 19 old, mild and new varieties

Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal and aromatic plants. It is impossible to imagine the kitchen without him. The tubers are available in different varieties. The vegetative differences lie in the shape, size, color, smell intensity and above all in taste. Some are very similar. That is why you will find the most common types of garlic below, divided into old, new and mild types.

Types of garlic

Garlic has been popular for centuries. The tubers primarily come from three specific types and offer something for every requirement and taste.

Garden garlic

The garden garlic (Allium sativum) or common garlic, is the classic and the best known of the garlic varieties.
This type of garlic possesses mainly in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Asian region a high priority and is therefore ideally suited to Mediterranean, Arabic and Asian Courts. But garden garlic can also be used in German cuisine without limits.

Appearance and properties

• Height: up to 90 centimeters
• Bluish green leaf color
• Bulbous onion with one major toe and growing around between five and 20 minor toes
• Onion color: white-pink to red
• Easily removable peel skin
• Firm consistency
• Sticky toe juice
• Taste: young toes are very mild - they usually increase enormously in spiciness with age
• Special features: leave a breath that smells strongly of garlic

Chinese garlic

Chinese garlic (Allium tuberosum) is also known as solo and single-clove garlic. This is the generic term for several varieties, which in turn are marketed as chives because the leaves are just as suitable for consumption as those of conventional chives (Allium schoenoprasum). These types of garlic originally come from China and have been available in Germany for many years, but most types are among the rarer examples.

Appearance and properties

• Growth height: between 40 to 50 centimeters
• Long-stemmed, upright leaves, like those of chives
• Formation of white flowers on stem ends
• Onion bulb has only one toe
• Onion color: white
• Toe shell cream-white with a slightly brownish or reddish discoloration
• Firm consistency
• Taste: very mild
• Special features: no usual "garlic breath" - leaves can be used freshly harvested like Chives and have a light garlic flavor - blossom is edible and in Asia it is one delicacy

Elephant garlic

The elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum), which is actually not a real garlic because it belongs to the garden garlic. The plant is considered to be one of the most insensitive to cold, heat, moisture and drought. That is why the cultivation of elephant garlic is also very popular among those who have little experience with self-cultivation. Under ideal conditions, some specimens have already grown to a weight of 60 kilograms, which is why they are also called giant garlic.

Appearance and properties

• Height: up to 180 centimeters
• Long-stemmed, upright leaves, like those of chives
• Onion bulb consists of the main toe and three to five side toes
• Onion color: white to yellowish-white
• Tuber is more reminiscent of a vegetable onion
• Easily indented
• Pure white pulp
• Taste: unusually mild-spicy, aromatic
• Special features: mild smell, plant very undemanding and easy to care for

Old varieties of garlic

With A

Ajo rosa (Allium sat. 'Ajo pink')

This garlic variety got its name from its intense pink-red color. Ajo rosa is one of the oldest varieties in Spain and has an unmistakable aroma.

Characteristics:

• Height: between 50 and 60 centimeters
• Pink tips of the toes
• Small to medium-sized toes
• Tubers are usually smaller than classic types of garlic
• Taste: aromatic and slightly piquant
• Special features: very pleasant to work with and can be eaten raw or cooked, good shelf life

Aquila (Allium sativum 'Aquila')

Aquila garlic originally comes from Italy and should not be missing on any pasta dish. The big toes that form around the main toe stand out, which is why some young specimens only have two or three toes.

Characteristics:

• Height: 30 to 90 centimeters
• Compact growth
• Toes: relatively large in the first year
• Toe color: white-purple striped
• Taste: very spicy and aromatic
• Special features: intense fragrance, harvest can be stored over the winter

Arno (Allium ampeloprasum 'Arno')

The “Arno” variety is one of the classics among the tried and tested specimens in Germany. It is characterized by a medium-strong aroma, which is ideal for those for whom the garlic taste is mildly too little and hot too much.

Appearance and characteristics:

• Height: about 20 centimeters
• Annual
• Blooms in August
• Basic color: white
• White pulp
• Taste: full-bodied taste, moderately intense in taste
• Special features: fast growing, very productive

Aveiro (Allium sativum 'Aveiro')

The Aveiro Knobi comes from Portugal and is one of the garden garlic varieties. Contrary to the typical properties of garden garlic, however, this variety does not leave behind such a strong garlic-smelling breath. But the high taste intensity makes it the ideal choice for real garlic lovers.

Characteristics:

• Height: 30 to 90 centimeters
• Upright growth
• Toe color: red-purple
• Has only one toe
• Taste: the older, the hotter, full-bodied
• Special features: unpleasant garlic odor after consumption

From B - H

Bella Italia (Allium sativum 'Bella Italia')

The Bella Italia comes from Tuscany and is a variety of ancient garlic, which is unfortunately grown less and less. It has the typical Italian properties from full-bodied aroma to easy processing and care.

Characteristics:

• Height: between 40 and 60 centimeters
• Big toes stored on the outside, smaller toes grown in the middle on the inside
• Tuber smaller than conventional varieties
• Taste: very aromatic, initially slightly sharp in the background
• Special features: easy to care for, good storability, increases in heat with age, does not have an intense odor

German porcelain

This is a very old German garlic variety with its original tuber shape. Real garlic lovers will find in this a "fiery" taste that no other variety can offer. Unfortunately, "German porcelain" is rarely grown any more.

Characteristics:

• Height: between 60 and 70 centimeters
• Only four toes, but larger than average toes
• Color white
• Taste: spicy and with time a light peppery aroma with a long finish
• Special features: very intense smell

Autumn garlic thermidrome (Allium sativum thermidrome)

The Thermidrome is the most robust of the garlic varieties and is characterized by a rounded aroma. It does not make great demands on the care, but the few care factors should be taken into account so that it can develop into a pompous plant.

Characteristics:

• Height: up to 180 centimeters
• Early autumn garlic
• Onion bulb consists of the main toe and three to five side toes
• Onion skin: brownish
• Toes: purple-red
• Taste: mild and spicy
• Special features: very robust variety, cold-tolerant, excellent storage life, very productive

From P - V

Polish Softneck (Allium sativum subsp. sativum "Polish")

The Polish Softneck Garlic is an American product and is one of the oldest types of garlic there. It was first presented around 1900. It is also one of the hardest varieties, which do not mind temperatures below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Characteristics:

• Growth height: up to 40 centimeters
• Elongated, slender toes
• Tubers higher in growth than local classics
• White bloom
• Also very decorative in the perennial bed
• Taste: slightly peppery aroma after prolonged storage, otherwise intense garlic aroma
• Special features: particularly boil-proof, fast growing

Snake garlic (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon)

Of the Snake garlic is also known under the name rocambole and as Italian garlic. This old variety offers an ideal alternative to common garlic if it is perceived as having too strong a taste, but does not want to be without a typical garlic aroma.

Appearance and characteristics:

• Height: between 30 and 90 centimeters
• Leaves curved like a snake
• More reminiscent of garden garlic than a garlic plant
• Noticeably small toes (between five and 20 pieces)
• Onion color: white
• Toe shell mostly brownish
• Softer consistency than garden garlic
• Taste: very mild, therefore also ideally usable as raw food
• Special features: no typical garlic odor after consumption

Vivalto

The Vivalto garlic variety originally comes from the Italian Mediterranean region, but has made a name for itself in Germany decades ago. Its mild aroma makes it perfect for the delicate refinement of seafood and pasta. It is one of the particularly small garlic plants.

Characteristics:

• Height: about 20 centimeters
• Long, strong leaf dress
• Onion bulb shaped similarly to common garlic
• Eight to ten auxiliary toes
• White onion casing
• Pink outer shell of the toes
• Taste: very tasty, mild and aromatic
• Special features: very productive - leaves are suitable for drying and for decoration
• is easy to grow

New types of garlic

From C - F

Chesnok (Allium sativum 'Chesnok')

The Isle of Wight, an offshore island in the south of England, is home to the Chesnok variety of garlic. In Germany, however, it has not been known for long. It's great to eat raw and shouldn't be heated for too long as it turns bitter quickly.

Characteristics:

• Growth height: up to 80 centimeters
• Medium-sized bulbs with five to ten side toes
• Toe color: white-purple striped
• Taste: full-bodied, strong aroma
• Special features: very robust, cold-tolerant

Cledor

The “Cledor” garlic variety is native to southern France. It is a well-tried garlic plant there, which has recently become more and more popular in Germany because it is traded as a top variety in France.

Characteristics:

• Height: 40 to 50 centimeters
• Annual
• Color: classic white
• Small tubers
• About eight to ten side toes
• Taste: intense garlic aroma
• Special features: good shelf life - leaves are edible

Fat Leaf (Allium intsp. Hybrid)

The fat leaf garlic is a variety of the chive garlic (Allium tuberosum). However, it is not one of the real garlic plants. Nevertheless, it is listed here because it has the typical garlic taste. As a hybrid, it is a relatively new cross of different strains. What is striking is its relatively broad growth of up to 30 centimeters. As with its conspecifics, the leaves are edible just like normal chives.

Characteristics:

• Height: between 20 and 70 centimeters
• Growing upright
• Hardy
• Small bulbs and toes
• Taste: aromatic, strong aroma with a moderately intense garlic taste
• Special features: the typical garlic smell evaporates quickly - leaves are processed like chives

From H - S

Head Garlic

The Head Garlic is not a new breed, but is being launched on the market in Germany as a new variety. This type of garlic comes from Thailand and is one of the classics there, which is why it is also known as Thai garlic which is, however, its own variety and therefore often confuses the varieties with one another will.
Characteristics:

• Height: up to 80 centimeters
• Upright leaves
• Onion tuber has no toes, but consists of a single fruit
• Small tuber
• Onion color: brownish-white
• Fruit color: brown-beige
• Taste: highly aromatic, pleasantly mild and digestible
• Special features: is considered a delicacy in Thailand, is also consumed raw

Korean farmer (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon "Korean farmer")

This type of garlic owes its name “Korean Farmer” to a German who bought it from a farmer in Korea at a market stall. It was offered there as traditional Korean garlic. It impresses with its extraordinary sharpness, as we know it from India in particular. In Germany this is grown and sold, but not for long, so that it can still be counted among the new varieties.
Characteristics:

• Height: about 40 centimeters
• Upright growth
• White-purple flowers
• Hardy
• Taste: intensely hot and spicy
• Ideal for Asian / Indian cuisine
• Special features: strong smell, robust plant

Silverskins

The Silverskin varieties can be recognized by their slightly silvery shimmering bulbous skin. The advantage of growing this variety is its good adaptability to different climatic conditions. Silverskins were imported from the USA and today inspire those in Germany who want garlic to taste intense but not too hot.
Characteristics:

• Growth height: up to about 70 centimeters
• Upright growth, ideal for plaiting
• Between ten and 20 toes
• Thicker toes grow on the outside, small toes lie on the inside
• Taste: intense aroma without much sharpness
• Special features: very productive, very adaptable to weather and temperatures

Mild garlic varieties

Edenrose (Allium sativum 'Edenrose')

This type of garlic is immediately noticeable because of its pink color. It comes from France where it emerges as the classic. There the leaves and flowers are considered a delicacy that can be used raw or steamed.
Characteristics:

• Height: 40 to 50 centimeters
• Annual plant
• Reddish-brown toe cup
• White pulp
• Taste: mild, spicy, slightly sweet
• Special features: very good shelf life, very productive

Monstrosum (Allium tuberosum 'Monstrosum')

This variety is known as giant chives because it grows much stronger and larger than its smaller "siblings". The monstrosity is best known from its exotic cuisine.
Characteristics:

• Height: up to 80 centimeters
• Strong growth
• White blooms from July to September
• Ideal for Asian dishes
• Taste: mild and fresh
• Special features: very tasty flowers, no unpleasant garlic odor after consumption

Kobold (Allium tuberosum 'Kobold')

The "Kobold" is one of the smallest types of garlic, although it belongs to the leek genus and does not have an onion / tuber. However, it is sold as garlic because its stem-like leaves give off a garlic taste and smell that is common to a garlic bulb.
Characteristics:

• Growth height: up to 40, rarely up to 60 centimeters
• Compact growth
• White blooms from August to October
• Also very decorative in the perennial bed
• Taste: mild and fresh
• Special features: very pleasantly scented, no unpleasant garlic odor after consumption