Digging deeperPlant Library

Siberian Garlic fruit

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Group/Class:  Marble Purple Stripe

Description:

An heirloom hardneck variety belonging to the marble purple stripe category; medium sized heads with up to 8 large cloves showcase lovely papery white skins with purple stripes; pungent and hot while raw, turning creamy and sweet when cooked

Edible Qualities

Siberian Garlic is a perennial vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities, although it does have ornamental merits as well. It produces white round tubers which are harvested from late summer to mid fall. The tubers have a potent taste and a distinctive fragrance.

The tubers are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Baking
• Pickling

Planting & Growing

Siberian Garlic will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant can be integrated into a landscape or flower garden by creative gardeners, but is usually grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Siberian Garlic is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.