Italian Pink

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.

International name/s: None, this is an Australian cultivar

Flavour: Very good. Moderate to hot when raw, with a rich, sweet, spicey flavour. Flavour improves if the bulbs are kept for a few weeks after curing and before use.

Storage: Reasonable, 7-9 months

Growing location: Grows best in Central to Southern Queensland, Northern NSW and Central WA. But will also do well in more southern regions as long as it isn't too cold and wet.

Growing requirements: Thrives in short day regions which experience reasonably cold winters. Enjoys heat early in spring and will tolerate some humidity. Day-length neutral. Does not like cold and wet winters.

Planting and harvest: Early to plant and early to harvest.

Shape: Tear-drop shaped medium sized bulbs. 5-6 cm.

Skin colour and texture: White with pink or purple shades and fine stripes. Fairly coarse texture.

Number and layout: 12-15 cloves in two (occasionally 3) layers.

Size and shape: Elongated cloves, 4 cm tall x 2.5 cm wide, with concave inner face.

Skin colour and texture: Pale pink to white skins, fine and can be hard to peel, although this improves with storage.

Size and shape: Medium height although slender and is prone to falling over near harvest.

Leaves: Thin, yellow-green, quite widely separated.

Young plants: Very quick to emerge, and grow quickly. Distinctly different to most other garlics.

Matures: Early, and goes from being nearly ready, to ready to harvest quite quickly.

Scape: No scape

Umbel and beak: No umbel.

Bulbils and flowers: No flowers but often forms 1-3 bulbils in the pseudostem. These are 1-1.5cm in diameter.

Australian Garlic

General Information

Bulb

Clove

Plant

Artichoke Group

Silverskin Group

Subtropical Group

Asiatic Group

Creole Group

Middle Eastern Group

Turban Group

Glazed Purple Stripe Group

Marbled Purple Stripe Group

Porcelain Group

Rocambole Group

Standard Purple Stripe Group