Australian Garlic
Celebrating and understanding our garlic groups and cultivars
Standard Purple Stripe Group
Hardneck - Strongly Bolting
This cultivar falls into the Artichoke Group, Type 2 and shares its evolution with others in this sub-group from Formosan to Taiwanese and Taiwanese Purple. Long time grower Roger Schmitke selected bulbs from this heritage that produced larger bulbs and cloves then other cultivars grown in the 80s and 90s. These went to Queensland’s Gatton Research Station and over a 6 year period they were grown and selected and replanted, selecting only the biggest and best bulbs and cloves. In 1997 Southern Glen named and released.  See the Production of Garlic here
This day-length neutral cultivar is a very important cultivar for growers in warmer more northern regions.
General Information
International name/s:
Flavour: Rich, strong, fusion of different flavours. Often a nutty flavour when cooked.
Storage: Medium to long.
Growing location: Tasmania, also Victoria, Southern NSW in higher cooler regions.
Growing requirements: Cooler climates are best, but may do well for a year or two in warmer more humid regions before reducing in size.
Planting and harvest: Mid to late
Bulb
Shape: Round globe, symmetrical, can be quite large.
Skin colour and texture: White with vivid to muted purple/pink colouring and striping.
Clove
Number and layout: 8-12 in one layer. Larger bulbs may have second layer with second skin.
Size and shape: Crescent shaped, tall slender pointed elongated tips.
Skin colour and texture: Purple-bronze-brown often with purple striping. Hard to peel but get easier with storage.
Plant
Size and shape: Tall, robust 1.5-1.9m with uncurled scape.
Leaves: Dark green, medium width, widely spaced, grow at wide angle to stem and stay very straight. Don't flop.
Young plants: Grow in a distinctive spiral shape that disappears as the plant matures.
Matures: Late growing and late maturing.
Scape: Thick, strong, developes early in growth cycle. Usually ¾ (270°) turn, then straightens. Remove scape for large bulb.
Umbel and beak: Plump and round with medium to long beak. Yellow spathe.
Bulbils and flowers: Very numerous tiny to small bulbils, 100-200 purple. Flowers numerous, pink-purple, may produce seed.
Artichoke Group
Silverskin Group
Subtropical Group
Asiatic Group
Creole Group
Middle Eastern Group
Turban Group
- Flinders Island Purple
- Glamour
- Italian Purple
- Monaro Purple
- Ontos Purple
- Shandong
- Tasmanian Purple
- White Crookneck
- Xian