Garlic

Lore & Background

Garlic is a perennial flowering plant that grows from a bulb, with a tall stem up to 1 m (3 ft). Its leaf blade is flat, linear, and solid, about 1.25–2.5 cm wide. The bulb has a strong odor and typically contains 10 to 20 cloves; cloves near the center are symmetrical, while outer ones may be asymmetrical. The plant produces hermaphroditic pink to purple flowers from July to September in the Northern Hemisphere, pollinated by butterflies, moths, and other insects. It can be grown as far north as Alaska if planted at the proper time and depth.

Reader's Guide

Garlic has been cultivated for thousands of years and remains a staple in global cuisines, particularly in Mediterranean and Asian cooking. Its pungent flavor and odor arise from sulfur compounds, especially allicin, which is released when cells are damaged. Cooking removes allicin, mellowing the spiciness. Despite its long use in traditional medicine, there is insufficient clinical evidence to indicate health benefits from consuming garlic. Garlic is easy to cultivate in mild climates, propagated asexually by planting cloves. Hardneck varieties require cold temperatures for vernalization and are grown in cooler climates, while softneck varieties thrive nearer the equator. Garlic scapes are removed to focus energy on bulb growth and can be eaten raw or cooked. The plant is generally hardy but can suffer from pests such as seed corn maggots and diseases like white rot, pink root, leek rust, and Botrytis neck and bulb rot.

Did You Know?

• Garlic is native to Central Asia, northeastern Iran, and the foothills of the Himalayas.
• Allicin is the compound most responsible for the 'hot' sensation of raw garlic.
• Elephant garlic is actually a wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum), not true garlic.
• Garlic plants are said to repel rabbits and moles.