Elephant Garlic

Elephant garlic looks like an oversized version of hardneck garlic, but it is actually a type of leek. The plants are big and upright, with broad flat leaves and a tall, solid flowering stalk. The cloves are milder and sweeter than true garlic, with a yellow tint. Most people describe the taste as onion and leek with soft garlic notes. Because the flavor is so gentle, elephant garlic is usually treated as a vegetable rather than an herb. It works raw or cooked. Roasting, baking, and grilling bring out more of its sweetness, and the large cloves slice well for deep frying into garlic chips. A single clove is often enough for one meal. If regular garlic is too strong for your taste, this is a good substitution.

Cloves average 1.5 to 2 inches long and peel easily. Mature bulbs are large, commonly 3 inches or more across, and can reach softball size at up to 4 inches wide and 3 inches long.

Similarly to garlic, fall planted cloves are harvested the following late spring or early summer, about 240 days from planting. Spring planted cloves are harvested the same season, about 90 days from planting.