Serpent Garlic Allium sativum
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Serpent Garlic:
- Phonetic Spelling
- AL-ee-um sa-TEE-vum
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Garlic is a member of the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family native to Asia. Its bulbs are composed of tightly packed cloves with a thin paper skin. They are highly edible and are a popular vegetable garden plant.
Choose a location with loose, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun and mulch the soil to help prevent competition from weeds. Space cloves 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 in a dry cool area but do not refrigerate.
Garlic does not have problems being planted near black walnut trees and is resistant to browsing by deer.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant may cause contact dermatitis in some people. Wear gloves when handling. Bulb rot can occur in to wet soils. Bulb mites can occur.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Music', var. ophioscorodon, var. sativum
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Music', var. ophioscorodon, var. sativum
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Allium
- Species:
- sativum
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia and Iran
- 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.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Bulb
- Cool Season Vegetable
- Edible
- Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- 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 To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Capsule on top of the flowering stalk. Splits open when ripe.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Long, thin and grass-like. Brighter green than other cultivated alliums.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Naked green scape
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
