  elephant garlic (allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum) is a plant belonging to the onion genus. it is not a true garlic, but actually a variant of the garden leek. it has a tall, solid, flowering stalk and broad, flat leaves much like those of the leek, but forms a bulb consisting of very large, garlic-like cloves. the flavor of these, while not exactly like garlic, is much more similar to garlic than to leeks. the flavor is milder than garlic, and much more palatable to some people than garlic when used raw as in salads. ==cultivation and use== thumb|left|bulb size of elephant garlic the mature bulb is broken up into cloves which are quite large and with papery skins and these are used for both culinary purposes and propagation. there are also much smaller cloves with a hard shell, called corms, which grow on the outside of the bulb (sort of like a hang-nail). many gardeners often ignore these, but if they are planted, they will in their first year produce a non-flowering plant which has a solid bulb, essentially a single large clove. in their second year, this single clove will then, like a normal bulb, divide into many separate cloves. while it may take an extra year, it is desirable to plant these small corms (several can be produced by each bulb) and the harvest increased, though delayed a year (but will allow you to eat more of your main crop, having these "back up" bulbets growing into full-fledged elephant garlic, in their second year). unlike many garlics, elephant garlic does not have to be harvested or divided each year; but can be ignored and left in the ground without much risk of rotting. the plant, if left alone, will spread into a clump with many flowering heads (one stalk and flower from each clove, once the bulb divides). these are often left in flower gardens as an ornamental and to discourage pests. of course, once they get over crowded, the plant may not do as well, and growth will be stunted, and there may be some rotting. as growing any root crop, the best method is to dig down a foot in your normal garden soil, and then add about 1 5-gallon bucket each of sand, granite dust, and humus/peat moss, per each 2' x 2' to 3' - 3' section, mixing the soil well, and some well-aged manure as top dressing will never hurt. the granite dust and sand help loosen the soil, help with drainage, absorb e
Allium Garlic Perennial_vegetables Root_vegetables