Italian Purple

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 known

Flavour: Hot and strong to start off with, rich and sweet and nutty when roasted.

Storage: Short 3-5 months.

Growing location: This cultivar will grow in most garlic regions from Southern Queensland to Tasmania, as well as South Australian and Western Australia.

Growing requirements: Italian Purple likes cold to mild winters with warm springs leading into hot summers, although they are usually harvested well before summer. Very hot spring days can cause water stress and may accelerate their tendency to flop over. Once this happens they need to be harvested within a week or so.

Planting and harvest: Plant and harvest early.

Shape: Large round flattened bulbs 6-7 cm with a flat to convex base.

Skin colour and texture: Heavily purple striped or blotched skins, red when first harvested. Skins are fragile and split and flake easily and usually whiten during storage.

Number and layout: 8-12 cloves in one or two layers.

Size and shape: Plump blunt tipped cloves that are angled but rounded towards the middle with two flat sides. Some are encased in a second skin.

Skin colour and texture: Skins are pink and cream with pale pink stripes. The skins are relatively fine but easy to peel.

Size and shape: Plants can be small and floppy in warmer regions, to strong and upright in colder regions. So size can depend on climate. Up to 1.1m without the scape.