Allium sativum Garlic, Cultivated garlic PFAF Plant Database Edible Parts: Flowers ; Leaves ; Root ; Seed . Edible Uses: Bulb - raw or cooked. Widely used, especially in southern Europe, as a flavouring in a wide range of foods, both raw and cooked[244]. Garlic is a wonderfully nutritious and health giving addition to the diet, but it has a very strong flavour and so is mainly used in very small quantities as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods[2, 9, 14, 27, 33]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. The bulbs can be up to 6cm in diameter[200]. Leaves - raw or cooked. Chopped and used in salads, they are rather milder than the bulbs[200, K]. The Chinese often cultivate garlic especially for the leaves, these can be produced in the middle of winter in mild winters[206]. The flowering stems are used as a flavouring and are sometimes sold in Chinese shops[183]. The sprouted seed is added to salads[183].

Composition Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food. Root (Dry weight) Tonic ; Vasodilator . Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm, Candida and vaginitis where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefit[218]. The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratyphoid-enteritis group, indeed it possesses outstanding germicidal properties[240] and can keep amoebic dysentery at bay[244]. It is also said to have anticancer activity[218]. It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning[244]. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart. For example, demographic studies suggest that garlic is responsible for the low incidence of arteriosclerosis in areas of Italy and Spain where consumption of the bulb is heavy[222].

Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients[238, 254]. Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds[244]. The fresh bulb is much more effective medicinally than stored bulbs, extended storage greatly reduces the anti-bacterial action[244]. The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator[4, 9, 14, 21, 46, 165]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Allium sativum for arteriosclerosis, hypertension, high cholesterol levels (see [302] for critics of commission E). Other Uses Adhesive ; Fungicide ; Repellent .

The juice from the bulb is used as an insect repellent[7, 14]. It has a very strong smell and some people would prefer to be bitten[K]. The juice can also be applied to any stings in order to ease the pain[7, 14]. 3 - 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated soap can be infused in 1 litre of boiling water, allowed to cool and then used as an insecticide[201]. An excellent glue can be made from the juice[7], when this is spread on glass it enables a person to cut clean holes in the glass[7], The juice is also used as a glue in mending glass and china[46]. An extract of the plant can be used as a fungicide[18]. It is used in the treatment of blight and mould or fungal diseases of tomatoes and potatoes[201]. If a few cloves of garlic are spread amongst stored fruit, they will act to delay the fruit from rotting[7]. The growing plant is said to repel insects, rabbits and moles[14, 20].

Cultivation details Succeeds in most soils but prefers a sunny position in a moist light well-drained soil[1, 14, 16, 37]. Dislikes very acid soils[206]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3. The bulb is liable to rot if grown in a wet soil[27, 52]. Hardy to at least -10°c[206]. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1]. Garlic has a very long history of use as a food and a medicine[244]. It was given to the Egyptian labourers when building the pyramids because it was believed to confer strength and protect from disease, it was also widely used by the Romans[244]. It is widely cultivated in most parts of the world for its edible bulb, which is used mainly as a flavouring in foods. There are a number of named varieties[200]. Bulb formation occurs in response to increasing daylength and temperature[200]. It is also influenced by the temperature at which the cloves were stored prior to planting.

Cool storage at temperatures between 0 and 10°c will hasten subsequent bulb formation, storage at above 25°c will delay or prevent bulb formation[200, 206]. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[18, 20, 54]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[201]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233]. Propagation Plant out the cloves in late autumn for an early summer crop[33, 200]. They can also be planted in late winter to early spring though yields may not be so good. Plant the cloves with their noses just below the soil surface[200]. If the bulbs are left in the ground all year, they will often produce tender young leaves in the winter[K]. Other Names Found In Weed Potential Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Related Plants Allium sativum (garlic) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Garlic is native to Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan) and northeastern Iran. It is widespread in cultivation. Hand-coloured engraving of Allium sativum (garlic), by William Woodville (1793) Description Overview: A bulbous herb growing to about 60 cm tall. Bulb: Rounded, composed of up to about 15 smaller bulblets known as cloves. Cloves and bulbs are covered by a whitish or pinkish tunic (papery coat). Leaves: Four to twelve long, sword-shaped leaves attached to an underground stem. Flowers: Borne in a dense, spherical cluster on a spike (flower stalk) up to 25 cm long. The young flower head is enclosed in a long-beaked pair of enclosing bracts, which become papery and split to reveal the flowers. Individual flower stalks arise from a common point.

Flowers are greenish-white or pinkish with six perianth segments (sepals and petals) about 3 mm long. Bulbils (asexual propagules), which resemble tiny cloves, are often interspersed among the flowers. Fruits: Flowers usually abort before developing to a stage at which fertilisation could take place. Seeds: Not usually produced in the wild but have been produced under laboratory conditions. With a black coat, similar to onion seeds, but approximately half the size. Uses Food and flavouring Sliced, fried garlic from India was exported to Burma where it was eaten with pickled tea. Garlic has been used as a food and flavouring agent for thousands of years. After onion, garlic is the most widely consumed bulb. Almost 10 million tons of garlic is produced each year. The world's largest producers include China, Korea, India, USA, Spain, Egypt and Turkey. Garlic bulbs are sold fresh or processed to produce a dry powder or oil. Garlic is popular in French, Spanish, Portuguese and South Asian cuisine. The bulb is the most commonly used part but chopped leaves are sometimes also used.

Garlic is one of the most frequently used plants in many parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and there are many ways of using it. Garlic is used not only to flavour curries but can be used in drinks and savoury desserts. To add a mild flavour to food the fresh cloves are cooked whole. If a stronger flavour is required, garlic cloves are crushed or ground and added to the dish. Garlic should not be cooked for too long as it can become bitter. Often garlic heads with small cloves have a stronger flavour than larger ones. Oil is processed from garlic and used commercially as flavouring. It can be added to flavour otherwise bland vegetable oils. Garlic is not popular with everyone. Members of certain religious groups in India, such as Jainism and Brahman Hinduism, are forbidden to eat onion-related plants like garlic. The reasons differ in each case. Jains consider use of garlic to be too damaging to the plant, while some Hindus consider garlic too stimulating. Traditional medicine Garlic is one of the oldest plants to be widely used as a medicine. In most corners of the world, it is regarded as an aphrodisiac. Its medical qualities have been recognised since ancient times and feature widely in traditional remedies.

The bulbs are the most frequently used part of the plant. In India they are prepared in several ways including extracting the juice or pulping the bulb to a paste. This has been taken to relieve problems such as coughs and fevers or applied externally to prevent greying of hair and to improve skin conditions such as eczema and scabies. It has even been applied to the noses of hysterical girls to calm them down! Garlic bulbs from Madhya Pradesh (from Kew's Economic Botany Collection). Warmed garlic juice or a mixture made with oil and boiled bulbs have been dropped into the ear to relieve earache and deafness. In Ayurvedic and Siddha medicine, garlic juice has been used to alleviate sinus problems. In Unani medicine, an extract is prepared from the dried bulb that is inhaled to promote abortion or taken to regulate menstruation. Unani physicians also use garlic to treat paralysis, forgetfulness, tremor, colic pains, internal ulcers and fevers. Extracts of bulbs have been widely used in folk medicine. Whooping cough in children has been treated by administering a drink made with a hot water extract of the dried bulb mixed with honey or by wearing a necklace of bulbs.

Hot water extracts are also taken to kill intestinal worms. In Pakistan, an extract is traditionally taken orally to settle the stomach, treat coughs and reduce fever. Garlic bulbs have sometimes been combined with other plants to make medicines. Mixed with the leaves of the ivy gourd (Coccinia grandis) it is used as a treatment for rabies. An infusion of the entire plant has been combined with sugar and taken to treat fevers. Garlic has also been used in traditional Indian veterinary medicine to treat tetanus and inflammatory disorders of the lungs. Garlic also features in traditional medicine in other parts of the world. In Nepal, East Asia and the Middle East it has been used to treat all manner of illnesses including fevers, diabetes, rheumatism, intestinal worms, colic, flatulence, dysentery, liver disorders, tuberculosis, facial paralysis, high blood pressure and bronchitis. Western medicine The medicinal properties of garlic are now scientifically recognised. It is widely available in different forms as over-the-counter supplements, particularly to treat blood conditions and as an anti-viral medicine. Various sulphur-containing compounds occur in garlic. One such compound is called alliin.

Crushing or chopping garlic may also promote enzyme reactions and allow other compounds to form. Studies show that these compounds may be effective in many ways including: pain relief; anti-worm, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties; lowering of blood glucose and blood pressure; and liver protection. Other research shows that garlic may help lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots and spasms, act as an expectorant and alleviate swellings, sores and acne. Pest control Garlic is sometimes deployed in gardens to deter pests. Some companies have taken its pest-repelling properties a step further by isolating its active compounds and marketing them in a spray-on formula. Crate of Allium sativum 'Picardy Wight' harvested at Kew Garlic is often grown among flowers or root vegetables as a companion plant, with the aim of protecting other plants from pests. In some small garden plots, rows of garlic are planted along the perimeter to act as a deterrent. Garlic extracts have also been used as deterrents. In Europe these extracts are freeze-dried and marketed as garlic pellets, which are then dissolved in water and sprayed onto plants to deter aphids and caterpillars.

A disadvantage of these extracts is that the active sulphurous compounds have a pungent smell that can mask the perfume of roses and other aromatic plants. This species at Kew Dried specimens of Allium sativum are held in Kew’s Herbarium where they are available to researchers by appointment. Details, including images, of other Allium species can be seen online in Kew’s Herbarium Catalogue. Allium sativum - Plant Finder Plant Finder Tried and Trouble-free Recommended by 2 Professionals Common Name: cultivated garlic Height: 1.00 to 1.50 feet Spread: 0.75 to 1.00 feet Bloom Time: April to May Bloom Description: Pinkish-white Garden locations Culture Grow in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. In the St. Louis area, bulblets (cloves) are best planted in fall but need the protection of a good winter mulch (e.g., straw). In very cold winters, the bulblets may not survive. Bulblets may also be planted in early spring. Fall plantings generally produce larger bulbs for harvest.

Plant bulblets 2” deep and 6" apart with the pointed end up in rows 1-2' apart. Harvest in late summer after most of the leaves have turned yellow-brown and begin to fall over. Dry bulbs for several days before storing in a cool, dry location. Noteworthy Characteristics Allium sativum, commonly called garlic, is a bulbous perennial of the onion family. It is native to the Mediterranean area. Foliage consists of aromatic, linear, flattened, grass-like green leaves. In some varieties, a central scape topped by an umbel of pinkish-white flowers rises from each clump of leaves to 18” tall in summer. Garlic is typically grown as an annual in herb and vegetable gardens for its segmented bulbs which are commonly used in cooking. Garlic comes in two varieties: hardneck (designated as Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) and softneck (designated as Allium sativum var. sativum). Hardneck varieties typically produce a flower stalk, with flowers giving way to a seed cap. Each bulb typically contains 4-10 cloves (bulb is smaller but cloves are larger than those of softneck).

Hardneck varieties come in three different types: Rocambole, Poreclain and Purple Stripe. By contrast, softneck garlic plants typically do not produce a flower stalk. They produce bulbs with smaller but more numerous cloves than hardneck garlic plants. Each bulb typically contains 12-20 cloves. Softneck plants are also braidable (bulbs can be braided together into attractive chains by weaving the soft grass-like tops together). Softneck garlic varieties are the ones most often commonly sold in supermarkets because they typically have a much longer shelf life than hardnecks. Softneck varieties come in two different types: Silverskin and Artichoke. Genus name comes from the classical Latin name for garlic. Specific epithet means cultivated. Problems No serious insect or disease problems. Root/bulb rot may occur in wet, poorly-drained soils. Potential insect pests include nematodes, thrips, bulb mites, onion maggots and wireworms.

Garden Uses medicinal herbs: GARLIC - Allium sativum medicinal herbs Family: Alliaceae (Onion Family) Medicinal use of Garlic: Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm, Candida and vaginitis where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefit. The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratyphoid-enteritis group, indeed it possesses outstanding germicidal properties and can keep amoebic dysentery at bay. It is also said to have anticancer activity. It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart. For example, demographic studies suggest that garlic is responsible for the low incidence of arteriosclerosis in areas of Italy and Spain where consumption of the bulb is heavy. Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients.

Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds. The fresh bulb is much more effective medicinally than stored bulbs, extended storage greatly reduces the anti-bacterial action. The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator. Description of the plant: Not known in a truly wild situation. Edible parts of Garlic: Bulb - raw or cooked. Widely used, especially in southern Europe, as a flavouring in a wide range of foods, both raw and cooked. Garlic is a wonderfully nutritious and health giving addition to the diet, but it has a very strong flavour and so is mainly used in very small quantities as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. A nutritional analysis is available. The bulbs can be up to 6cm in diameter. Leaves - raw or cooked. Chopped and used in salads, they are rather milder than the bulbs.

The Chinese often cultivate garlic especially for the leaves, these can be produced in the middle of winter in mild winters. The flowering stems are used as a flavouring and are sometimes sold in Chinese shops. The sprouted seed is added to salads. Other uses of the herb: The juice from the bulb is used as an insect repellent. It has a very strong smell and some people would prefer to be bitten. The juice can also be applied to any stings in order to ease the pain. 3 - 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated soap can be infused in 1 litre of boiling water, allowed to cool and then used as an insecticide. An excellent glue can be made from the juice, when this is spread on glass it enables a person to cut clean holes in the glass, The juice is also used as a glue in mending glass and china. An extract of the plant can be used as a fungicide. It is used in the treatment of blight and mould or fungal diseases of tomatoes and potatoes. If a few cloves of garlic are spread amongst stored fruit, they will act to delay the fruit from rotting. The growing plant is said to repel insects, rabbits and moles.

Propagation of Garlic: Plant out the cloves in late autumn for an early summer crop. They can also be planted in late winter to early spring though yields may not be so good. Plant the cloves with their noses just below the soil surface. If the bulbs are left in the ground all year, they will often produce tender young leaves in the winter. Cultivation of the herb: Not known in a truly wild situation. Known hazards of Allium sativum: There have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of this species. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible. Spice Pages: Garlic (Allium sativum, garlick) Garlic field Garlic is one of the most popular spices in the world, and wher­ever it was intro­duced to, it met enthu­siastic ap­proval. It is re­ported that in an­cient Egypt, the workers who had to build the great pyramids were fed their daily share of garlic, and the Bible mentions garlic as a food the Hebrews en­joyed during their sojourn in Egypt (see pome­granate ).

See also onion on the cooking of ancient Meso­potamia, where garlic played an eminent rôle. In Europe, garlic has been a common spice since the days of the Roman Empire, and it was ex­tensively used from India to East Asia even before the Euro­peans arrived there. After the Age of Ex­plora­tion, its use spread rapidly to Africa and both Americas. Curi­ously enough, in our days Northern Euro­peans seem to be the only ones who look on it with sus­picion because of its strong smell, which is some­times felt unpleasant. Some cuisines are fond of raw garlic. In parts of Austria, salads (based on lettuce) are prepared with vinegar, oil and minced garlic. The more Northern practise of rubbing the salad bowl with a halved garlic clove (and dis­carding the clove after­wards) is generally frowned upon, and the tasty pumpkin seed oil is preferred over bland refined vegetable oils. Raw garlic appears in quite a multitude of Mediterranean sauces.

Prominent examples are the Provençal specialty aïoli, basically a mayonnaise based on olive oil and enriched with garlic; furthermore, Greek skordalia [σκορδαλιά] a paste made from cooked potatoes and raw garlic, and Turkish çaçık, a refreshing soup made from plain yoghurt, shredded cucumber, garlic and peppermint leaves. A similar, but thicker, saucy product is known as tsatsiki (also spelled tzatziki [τζατζίκι]) in Greece, where it is often served to barbecued lamb souvlaki [σουβλάκι]. Many appetizers from West Asia (e. g., hummus, see sesame ) contain some fresh garlic. Occasionally, minced garlic is spread along the edge of Italian pizza (see oregano ). A number of salads or appetizers with raw garlic is found in Georgia, where it is usually ground to a paste together with walnut and herbs like parsley , celery or coriander .

Such a paste may be spread over fried aubergine slices (badrijani [ბადრიჯანი], often served with fresh pomegranate seeds) or may be mixed with vinegar to yield a dressing for tomato and cucumber salad (k’it’ri-k’amidoris salata [კიტრი-კამიდორის სალათა], usually topped with parsley , coriander and/or basil leaves). Garlic plants in a garden In China, raw garlic appears in many salads, for example suan ni huang-gua [蒜泥黄瓜], crunchy cucumber cubes with a dressing of vinegar, sesame oil and garlic, topped with coriander leaves. Yet similar appetizers (also employing dried chiles , chile oil or soy sauce) are prepared with many more vegetables (string beans, steamed leaves) or glass noodles. A non-vegetarian example is hong-you ji-si [红油鸡丝], thin strips of boiled chicken breast dressed with chile oil and garlic. A mixture of finely chopped garlic and sesame oil (diluted with bland vegetable oil to taste) is often served as a dip on the table.

Garlic plants in a garden Remotely similar but rather spicy and salty snacks with raw garlic, often entire garlic cloves, are found in the highly original cuisine of the Newar people in Nepal. In ad­dition to the usual set of Indian spices (e. g., fenu­greek , cumin , and fennel ), the Newari have a rather un­typical fond­ness for raw garlic and ginger , which appear to­gether with large amounts of fresh or dried chiles in cold salad-like foods that are enjoyed during the day, together with dry beaten rice and a bottle of beer: Choyela or choila [छोयला or छोईला] (barbecued buffalo meat dressed with dried chile, fresh ginger, garlic and an aromatic local mustard oil), satu mhicha [सतु म्हिचा] (small pockets of buffalo stomach stuffed with bone marrow), musya palu [मुस्या पालु] (green soy beans with sliced garlic and ginger) and the strange jala [जला], small pieces of boiled buffalo skin (with some meat attached) seasoned with garlic, chile and dark toasted fenugreek seeds.

Another example is the lean raw buffalo mince kochila [कोचिला] mixed with mustard oil, which is usually served with loads of raw garlic cloves. Vampyres have no chance in Vietnam, particularly around Hanoi [Hà Nội]: Freshly grated garlic is served in liberal amounts to spring rolls and soups in Northern Vietnam (see Vietnamese cinnamon for an account of the Hanoi style beef soup). The latter is an example demonstrating the subtle effect that can be achieved by adding grated or squeezed raw garlic to a dish that already contains cooked garlic. Garlic fresh after the harvest Young garlic plants Raw garlic may also be pickled in vinegar or olive oil. Since some of garlic’s aroma is ex­tracted by the liquid, and since little cell damage occurs before the enzymes get dys­functional, pickled garlic is usually very mild. Herbal vinegar (see dill ) is commonly made with one or two garlic cloves per liter vinegar. A unique garlic flavouring is the Tibetan garlic water , gog-chu [སྒོག་ཆུ་]. This consists of very slightly crushed garlic cloves that are left to macerate with water, sometimes in combination with dried Sichuan pepper .

A few drops of vinegar may be added for pre­servation. The water ac­quires only a mild garlic flavour and may be sprinkled over salads; in Ladakh, it was also served to the national noodle dish, momo [མོག་མོག་] (see Sichuan pepper ). Usage of fried or cooked garlic is, however, much more common and found in almost every cuisine of the world. On heating, the pungency and strong odour get lost and the aroma becomes more subtle and less dominant, harmonizing perfectly with ginger , pepper , chiles and many other spices. An interesting example from Northern Italy is bagna cauda, a sauce made by cooking garlic cloves in olive oil very slowly, adding pungent fermented anchovies (acciughe) and puréing. In Piedmont, bagna cauda is served as a dip with raw or slightly cooked vegetables. Another Italian recipe depending almost entirely on garlic are the spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncini, boiled pasta with garlic and dried chiles shortly fried in olive oil. Garlic fresh after the harvest Different Asian cui­sines make dif­ferent use of this very ver­satile spice.

Many Indian recipes add garlic in an early phase, and it is fried for a long time to­gether with onion and other spices to pro­vide the basic masala; in the fi­nished dish, the garlic taste is no longer dis­cernible, but has merged totally with the other com­po­nents. In con­trast, although Indo­nesian and even Chinese stir-fries usually start with frying a few cloves of garlic, a faint garlic aroma persists until serving be­cause of the much shorter cooking time. In Indon­esian cuisine, mixtures based on minced garlic, ginger and chiles are frequently used to season meat pieces before roasting or grilling (see lesser galangale for details and see also lemon grass for the spice paste bumbu). In Thai cuisine, it is common to fry garlic slices in very hot oil to a crisp texture, and decorate foods with these brown, crisp garlic slices. Yet other Thai recipes avoid the frying of garlic but prefer gentle simmering for spicy soups or creamy curries. Garlic is also an essential component of its curry pastes (especially the green one), see coconut .

Similar custom is found in Cambodia, where pastes of garlic, together with chiles , lemon grass or ginger , are added to soups or stews. Mural in Gilroy, the Californian garlic capital Gilroy Garlic Festival In the south­ern states of the US, garlic is also very popular. The small town of Gilroy (in California, not far from San Francisco) claims to be the garlic capital of the world; although not quite true, the claim seems plausible to every visitor in end of July, when the annual garlic festival is held and garlic recipes are evaluated — allegedly, they even serve garlic ice cream (see also vanilla ). The Gilroy area is also the main garlic producer for the US market, as can easily be smelled at harvest time. There has been the saying that steaks can be marinated in the air of Gilroy. That’s clearly exaggerated, but not necessarily much so. Gilroy mainly produces dehydrated garlic, which is more popular in the USA than in other countries.

Dried garlic, however, also makes an appearance in East African cooking, and it is the characteristic flavour in the Georgian table condiment svanuri marili [სვანური მარილი] ( Svanetian salt ), a coarse ochre powder made from salt, garlic, coriander , dill , savory , cumin , blue fenugreek and a dash of chile . Garlic after the harvest Garlic drying after harvest in Nepal Garlic consump­tion is also high in Central America, where the bulbs are, among others, used for Mexican mole (see paprika ) and salsa (see long coriander ). Garlic is much less popular in today’s Europe, where it is used only with care, except the Southern European countries. Northerners seem to loathe the faint garlic odour that is emitted by garlic eaters even many hours after the garlic consume. There is no perfect remedy against it, but eating chopped parsley , hot showering and excessive tooth brushing will remove at least the greater part of it.

In recipes from North or Central Europe, garlic is normally cooked for a long time to reduce it odour; furthermore, its aroma is thereby sufficiently damped to fit better to the rather mild food of this region. Cooks tend to use garlic together with some Mediterranean herbs ( thyme , bay leaves ), but also with indigenous spices like juniper and caraway . Garlic drying after harvest in Nepal Cooks in Sou­thern Europe tend to use garlic much more liberally. It is com­monly com­bined with pungent chiles (e. g., Italian spa­ghetti aglio ed olio, spa­ghetti noodles with garlic and olive oil); garlic finely cut and sus­pended in olive oil to­gether with parsley leaves is often served to barbecued fish in Croatia. Garlic is a main con­stituent of most Medi­terranean sauces; some examples using raw garlic were given above.

Food prepared with both red or white wine calls for some garlic: Rabbit stewed in red wine together with generous amounts of garlic and bay leaves is a national dish in Malta (Fenek bit-tewm u bl-Inbid), and Portuguese porco vinho e alho (fried pork cubes that have been seasoned with white wine and garlic) is delicious; the latter food was adapted to South West India, where it is known as vindaloo [विंदालू] (see tamarind ). Also, Eastern Europe has a lot of garlic tradition: From the Balkan to the Baltic, garlic is found in soups, sauces and salads. Serbia and Hungary have a fine reputaton for their garlic-laden foods, but also the Black Sea countries Bulgaria and Romania use it a lot. On the Eastern coast of the Baltic sea, garlic is often consumed in salads and other cold foods, preferably raw and squeezed; for example, small cubes of dry black rye bread shortly fried in oil with some garlic make a snack commonly eaten in Lithuania, typically to go with a glass of beer. Of botanically related plants, onion is certainly the most important.

Even more closely related is bear’s garlic , whose fresh leaves have some tradition in Central Europe. Garlic Bulb (Allium sativum) Herbal Tea (1lb/454g) BULK - Swedish Bitters Herb Company Private Stock - Swedish Bitters Herbs Garlic Bulb (Allium sativum) Herbal Tea (1lb/454g) BULK - Swedish Bitters Herb Company Private Stock Product Code: Bulk Teas Latin (botanical) name: Allium sativum Common names: Garlic, Poor Man's Treacle Plant Description: Garlic has long, flat, narrow leaves. They are greenish-gray in color and grow to about 12 inches long and 1 inch wide. A round-stemmed flower stalk originates from the center of the plant and produces a ball-shaped, compact collection of white flowers that are sometimes tinged with lavender. The bulb (the only part eaten) multiplies during the growing season, producing highly flavored bulblets called cloves. Each group of cloves comprises a bulb and is wrapped in a white papery sheath. Some varieties have a reddish or purplish sheath.

Garlic is ready to harvest about 6 months after planting when the flowers are fading and the leaves begin to turn yellow and shrivel. Use: Make a tea by pouring approximately 2 cups of boiling water over 2 heaped tsp of herb. Let steep for 3-5 minutes. In general, sip a cup before breakfast, and another 2 hours after dinner. General Swedish Bitters Herb Company Phyto-Rx Amazon Bullet 1 (100) Amazon Bullet 5 (100) Amazon Description (2000) Latin (botanical) name: Allium sativum. Common names: Garlic, Poor Man's Treacle. Plant Description: Garlic has long, flat, narrow leaves. They are greenish-gray in color and grow to about 12 inches long and 1 inch wide. A round-stemmed flower stalk originates from the center of the plant and produces a ball-shaped, compact collection of white flowers that are sometimes tinged with lavender. The bulb (the only part eaten) multiplies during the growing season, producing highly flavored bulblets called cloves. Each group of cloves comprises a bulb and is wrapped in a white papery sheath.

Some varieties have a reddish or purplish sheath. Garlic is ready to harvest about 6 months after planting when the flowers are fading and the leaves begin to turn yellow and shrivel. Use: 15-40 drops in water or juice, 2-3 times daily, or as needed. Shake well before using. Amazon Manufacturer (50) Amazon Search Term 1 (50) Amazon Search Term 2 (50) Amazon Search Term 3 (50) Amazon Search Term 4 (50) Amazon Search Term 5 (50) Amazon Title (100) Garlic Bulb, tincture - (4oz/118ml) Ebay Description Latin (botanical) name: Allium sativum Common names: Garlic, Poor Man's Treacle Plant Description: Garlic has long, flat, narrow leaves. They are greenish-gray in color and grow to about 12 inches long and 1 inch wide. A round-stemmed flower stalk originates from the center of the plant and produces a ball-shaped, compact collection of white flowers that are sometimes tinged with lavender.

The bulb (the only part eaten) multiplies during the growing season, producing highly flavored bulblets called cloves. Each group of cloves comprises a bulb and is wrapped in a white papery sheath. Some varieties have a reddish or purplish sheath. Garlic is ready to harvest about 6 months after planting when the flowers are fading and the leaves begin to turn yellow and shrivel. Use: 15-40 drops in water or juice, 2-3 times daily, or as needed. Shake well before using. Ebay ePID (Product Reference ID) Ebay Listing Title (80) Allium sativum ophioscorodon Serpent Garlic PFAF Plant Database Edible Parts: Flowers ; Leaves ; Root ; Seed . Edible Uses: Bulb - raw or cooked. Widely used, especially in southern Europe, as a flavouring in a wide range of foods, both raw and cooked[244].

Garlic is a wonderfully nutritious and health giving addition to the diet, but it has a very strong flavour and so is mainly used in very small quantities as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods[2, 9, 14, 27, 33]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. The bulbs can be up to 6cm in diameter[200]. Bulbils - raw or cooked[K]. An excellent strong garlic flavour, though they are rather small and therefore fiddly to peel[K]. Leaves - raw or cooked. Chopped and used in salads, they are rather milder than the bulbs[200, K]. The Chinese often cultivate garlic especially for the leaves, these can be produced in the middle of winter in mild winters[206]. The flowering stems are used as a flavouring and are sometimes sold in Chinese shops[183]. The sprouted seed is added to salads[183]. Medicinal Uses Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. Vasodilator .

Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm, Candida and vaginitis where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefit[218]. The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratyphoid-enteritis group, indeed it possesses outstanding germicidal properties[240] and can keep amoebic dysentery at bay[244]. It is also said to have anticancer activity[218]. It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning[244]. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart. For example, demographic studies suggest that garlic is responsible for the low incidence of arteriosclerosis in areas of Italy and Spain where consumption of the bulb is heavy[222]. Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients[238, 254].

Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds[244]. The fresh bulb is much more effective medicinally than stored bulbs, extended storage greatly reduces the anti-bacterial action[244]. The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator[4, 9, 14, 21, 46, 165]. Other Uses Adhesive ; Fungicide ; Repellent . The juice from the bulb is used as an insect repellent[7, 14]. It has a very strong smell and some people would prefer to be bitten[K]. The juice can also be applied to any stings in order to ease the pain[7, 14]. 3 - 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated soap can be infused in 1 litre of boiling water, allowed to cool and then used as an insecticide[201].

An excellent glue can be made from the juice[7], when this is spread on glass it enables a person to cut clean holes in the glass[7], The juice is also used as a glue in mending glass and china[46]. An extract of the plant can be used as a fungicide[18]. It is used in the treatment of blight and mould or fungal diseases of tomatoes and potatoes[201]. If a few cloves of garlic are spread amongst stored fruit, they will act to delay the fruit from rotting[7]. The growing plant is said to repel insects, rabbits and moles[14, 20]. Cultivation details Succeeds in most soils but prefers a sunny position in a moist light well-drained soil[1, 14, 16, 37]. Dislikes very acid soils[206]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3. The bulb is liable to rot if grown in a wet soil[27, 52]. Hardy to at least -10°c[206]. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1].

Garlic is widely cultivated in most parts of the world for its edible bulb, which is used mainly as a flavouring in foods. This sub-species differs mainly in forming more bulbils on the flowering head, and this flowering head usually coils into 1- 2 loops before opening[200]. Since it produces these bulbils (which make an excellent garlic, though they are rather on the small side) as well as underground cloves, it can be more productive[K]. We often grow this plant for a number of years before digging it up - it forms larger and larger clumps each year, with an abundance of bulbils[K]. There are a number of named varieties[183]. Bulb formation occurs in response to increasing daylength and temperature[200]. It is also influenced by the temperature at which the cloves were stored prior to planting. Cool storage at temperatures between 0 and 10°c will hasten subsequent bulb formation, storage at above 25°c will delay or prevent bulb formation[200, 206].

Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[18, 20, 54]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[201]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233]. Propagation Plant out the cloves in late autumn for an early summer crop[33, 200]. They can also be planted in late winter to early spring though yields may not be so good. Plant the cloves with their noses just below the soil surface[200]. If the bulbs are left in the ground all year, they will often produce tender young leaves in the winter[K]. Bulbils, harvested in late summer, are best sown immediately in pots in a cold greenhouse, planting out in late spring after the last expected frosts[K]. They can also be stored in a cool place over the winter and then be planted outdoors like onion sets. They will not make such a big plant in their first year, however[K]. Other Names Found In Weed Potential Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.

Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking. Conservation Status IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Related Plants Medicinal Spices Exhibit - UCLA Biomedical Library: History & Special Collections Description Garlic is the name given to the leek (herb) with gar (spear) shaped leaves. Its Latin name Allium sativum is derived from al = burning, sativum = harvested. The plant may have arisen as a wild variant (“ramson”) in Siberia, but it has spread world-wide, and is harvested in China, India, Gilroy in California, and in many other places. As a food, it was favored by the Hebrews in biblical Egypt, and it is now beloved in both homespun and gourmet cooking everywhere. Garlic has had a long-held reputation as a medicine, and it was regarded by the popular 17th century British herbalist, Culpeper, as the “poor man’s treacle”, implying that it had value as an antidote to poisons and as a panacea for illnesses. Chicago is named after the Indian term for the place where the wild garlic grows.

Garlic is so widely grown that it cannot be regarded as an exotic plant. Nevertheless, it is generally thought of as a spice because of its remarkable pungent aroma, and its value for culinary and medical uses. William Harvey published his revolutionary book on the Motion of the Blood in 1628; he was impressed with an issue that still remains a concern: the presence of garlic’s smell on the breath following its consumption. However, Harvey was more impressed that a folk remedy for colds called for garlic in the shoe: the fact that this therapy led to the smell of garlic on the breath was noted by him as additional evidence that the blood circulates in the body. The other well-known connection between garlic and blood was the herb’s traditional property of repelling vampires. See a list of spices by Taste and Hotness . Useful Parts The bulb’s small cloves contain the active ingredient used in cooking and for medicinal purposes.

Medicinal Properties The smell of garlic is caused by allicin (diallyldisulfide-S-oxide), which is derived from precursors such as alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide) by the enzyme alliinase which is liberated when the clove is broken up. The active compound resembles the well known drug N-acetyl-L-cysteine (Mucomyst), which has mucolytic and antioxidant properties. Garlic contains several potent antioxidants, and there is evidence that its addition to the diet may help reduce the incidence of gastric and colorectal cancers. The chemicals in garlic can help reduce serum cholesterol, hypertension, blood clotting, blood sugar, bowel parasites, respiratory and other infections, and the aging process itself. However, additional clinical evidence is still needed to determine whether its widespread popularity as an herbal medicine can be justified by measurable benefits of significance. There is insufficient information to suggest that any specific proprietary or home preparation is more effective than either simple raw or cooked garlic. The taste of garlic is acceptable to many animals, and our eating of garlic has not been proved to deflect the attention of mosquitoes, vampires or wolves.

Garlic festivals and specialty restaurants have demonstrated that this unique spice can be appreciated as a delectable flavor in almost any prepared food, including ice cream. See chemicals in spices. Historical View “As a medicine garlic was held in great repute by the ancient physicians, and was also formerly much used in modern practice, but in this country is now rarely used by the regular practitioner, although it is still employed to some extent in the United States. Garlic is stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, diuretic, and tonic, when exhibited internally; and rubefacient when applied externally…" Bentley, Robert and Henry Trimen. Medicinal Plants; being descriptions with original figures of the principal plants employed in medicine and an account of the characters, properties, and uses of their parts and products of medicinal value. London, Churchill, 1880. (WZ 295 B556m 1880) Click image to enlarge

Question: Which plant has the Latin name allium sativum?
Answer: Garlic