Garlic is an edible bulb of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) native to Asia. It is a close relative of onions, leeks and chives. Choose a location with loose, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun and mulch the soil to help prevent competition from weeds. Seperate individual cloves from the bulb and plant 6 to 8 inches apart and 2 to 3 inches deep. in North Carolina plant individual cloves from late October to November, possibly through December in more southern areas, for a May to June harvest time. The cloves require at least 4-6 weeks to get established before the ground freezes. Cut back on watering before harvest time to prevent bulb rot. To increase the size of the bulb, the flower stem (scape) should be removed. This delicacy is edible raw or cooked. Harvest garlic when about half of the leaves have started turning brown. Garlic needs to cure after digging in a warm dry place out of the sun. Once the leaves have completely dried, you can remove the leaves, roots, and outer wrapping and store the bulbs in a dry, cool area, but do not refrigerate. Garlic is grown both commercially and in the home edible garden. Click here to see a calendar of planting schedules, time-to-harvest, and recommended spacing. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant may cause contact dermatitis in some people. Wear gloves when handling. Bulb rot can occur in too-wet soils. Bulb mites can occur. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Bulb; Cool Season Vegetable; Edible; Perennial; Vegetable
Life cycle
Bulb; Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Edible; Fragrant
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Long, thin and grass-like. Brighter green than other cultivated alliums.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower form
Umbel
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Cream/Tan
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Capsule on top of the flowering stalk. Splits open when ripe.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Naked green scape
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Asia and Iran
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Flowers have a mildly bitter flavor and like young leaves can be eaten in small quantities raw in salads and sandwiches or cooked in tea and soups. The bulbs are eaten raw or cooked and used to flavor many dishes. However, the plant also has poisonous characteristics as noted in the "Poisonous to Humans" section of this record. Toxicity can depend on the age of the person or animal, the age of the plant, the part of the plant ingested, how much is ingested, whether the person or animal has sensitivities or allergies, whether it's eaten raw or cooked, and so forth. Consult with a medical professional for further details.
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#deer resistant #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #cool season vegetable #edible bulbs #tunicated bulb #edible leaves #bulb #black walnut toxicity tolerant #contact dermatitis #early childhood #mass planting #child #children #preschool #early care #easy edibles #hortcontest #edible
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Bulb Mites; Insect and Related Pests of Vegetables
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Black Walnut; Deer
Poison severity
Low
Poison symptoms
Vomiting, breakdown of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia, Heinz body anemia), blood in urine, weakness, high heart rate, panting