10 Types of Garlic to Grow in Your Garden

By Peg Aloi
Published on 04/15/22
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and horticulturist with over 30 years of experience in organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column.
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Mound of garlic with reddish white skins on a wooden surface

Cavan Images / Getty Images

Garlic is in the allium family, a large family of flowering plants that also includes chives. Growing garlic is fairly easy if you follow the guidelines for your hardiness zone. It makes a good companion plant in the garden as its smell repels various garden pests (including spider mites, aphids, ants, cabbage loopers and Japanese beetles), and it also deters fungus which becomes more prevalent in a wet season.

There are eleven horticultural groups of garlic, and three of these varieties are classified as softneck garlic (Allium sativum). Eight of them are considered hardneck garlic (Allium ophioscorodon). The plant commonly known as "elephant garlic" is not actually garlic at all (though it looks and tastes similar), but is a member of the leek family.

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Softneck Garlic

Softneck garlic has three forms: artichoke, silverskin and Middle Eastern. The artichoke varieties have many (more than a dozen usually) cloves that overlap one another, similar to the leaves of the artichoke plant. The outer skin layer of softneck garlic is fairly thick, allowing for a long shelf life of six months or longer. The silverskin varieties are used to make garlic braids due to their strong but pliable necks and attractive "silvery" sheen of their outer skins. Softneck garlic matures faster than hardneck, can be planted in spring for late season harvest, and do not produce central stems/scapes that need trimming mid-season. These are the garlics most often sold in supermarkets.

Hardneck Garlic

Hardneck garlic has a central flowering stem (or scape) that eventually turns woody. These hard stems can be tied together for hanging and curing your garlic after harvest. The eight forms are as follows: purple stripe, glazed purple stripe, marbled purple stripe, porcelain, Rocambole, Asiatic, and Creole (although recently it's been determined that Creole garlic may be in a class by itself). Some garlic lovers believe that the hardneck varieties have more complex flavors and so these garlics are sought after at farmers markets. They mature more slowly and are usually planted in the fall.

We've gathered a list of 10 excellent garlic varieties for you to grow in your garden.

  • 01 of 10

    Chesnok Red (Allium sativum)

    Red-tinged garlic bulb and loose cloves on a round wooden table

    olindana / Getty Images

    Chesnok Red is an attractive hardneck purple stripe garlic that originates in the Republic of Georgia. It is very cold-hardy. It has wonderful robust flavor, a large number of cloves, and a long shelf life. The outer skins are white but peeling reveals the lovely red tones.

    • Native Area: Republic of Georgia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 02 of 10

    Bogatyr (Allium sativum)

    Red-purple striped garlic (Bogatyr) in a pile

    scarecrowfarm / Instagram

    The cultivar name means "penicillin" in Russian and refers to this garlic's rich supply of magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin B6. The flavor is rather intense; this hardneck purple stripe garlic is a good one for pickling or fermenting, in addition to imparting spicy flavors in cooking. It has a good shelf life.

    • Native Area: Europe/Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
    • Height: 24 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 03 of 10

    Music (Allium sativum)

    wooden box with garlic and paper sign that says "Music $1 each"

    scarecrowfarm / Instagram

    A popular hardneck porcelain variety at local farmers' markets, this one is perfect for if you only want to grow one variety. The white bulbs usually contain between 4 to 5 large cloves. It has a rich and musky flavor, rather "hot" when raw, and a hardy garlic that has excellent longevity in storage. This garlic is believed to have been brought to Canada from Italy and named for Al Music, a tobacco farmer who became a garlic grower.

    • Native Area: Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 04 of 10

    Nootka Rose (Allium sativum)

    Reddish clove skins on garlic cloves scattered on a table

    harvestinghistory / Instagram

    This is a popular silverskin softneck garlic that is a good choice if you want garlic to plant in spring. The bulbs produce around 12 to 20 cloves apiece, and the flavor is rich and strong. It is a Northwest heirloom that originates on the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. It is suitable for growing in warmer zones.

    • Native Area: North America
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 5 of 10 below.
  • 05 of 10

    Creole Red (Allium sativum var sativum)

    Deep reddish purple garlic cloves spread on a white table

    prophet_of_bloom / Instagram

    Once considered a type of softneck garlic and subgroup of the silverskins, there is now agreement in the horticulture world that Creole garlics are their own unique variety. Under certain conditions they may produce a central stalk, behaving more like a hardneck. Widely grown in California and Texas, they prefer warmer temperatures but can be grown in colder climates, though the bulbs may be smaller. Their colorful magenta clove skins and compact shape give this garlic a unique look, and their deep flavors are suitable to a wide range of uses. One of the most commonly grown cultivars is 'Creole Red' (pictured); other favorites include 'Ajo Rojo' and 'Ajo Morado'.

    • Native Area: Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 06 of 10

    Rose de Lautrec (Allium sativum var. sativum)

    Pink skinned garlic bulbs and cloves on a bed of straw

    jardindeterryetsebastien and Secret Seed Cartel / Instagram

    Also called "French pink garlic," this aromatic Creole garlic originates in the south of France. It is growing more popular with garlic lovers for its beautiful color and excellent, subtle and slightly sweet flavor. You might have to do some searching to find it available for purchase, but some nurseries that specialize in heirloom and speciality garlic varieties will probably have it.

    • Native Area: Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 07 of 10

    Spanish Roja (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon)

    Reddish purple garlic bulbs with paper skins removed on a tree stump

    frecklesandsprouts / Instagram

    This classic hardneck rocambole garlic is considered a must-have in the garden for cooks. It is sometimes referred to as 'Greek Blue', attesting to its rich history. It was brought to Portland, Oregon from Europe in the late 1800s and is believed to have originated in Spain. This garlic has a pungent and complex flavor that is fairly hot when raw, more mellow and slightly sweeter when cooked. The paper outer skins are white but peeling reveals reddish purple or tan coverings on the cloves. It grows well in colder zones.

    • Native Area: Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
    • Height: 24 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 08 of 10

    Korean Red (Allium sativum)

    Garlic bulbs covered with dried soil, and green paper tag that says "Korean red"

    scarecrowfarm / Instagram

    This sturdy hardneck porcelain garlic is getting more popular. It produces an abundance of cloves whose skins have an auburn to red color. It's said to have a citrusy flavor and is excellent for roasting which imparts a sweet complex flavor. It matures fairly early compared to other hardnecks and has a somewhat conical shape. It's adaptable to many climates.

    • Native Area: Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    Continue to 9 of 10 below.
  • 09 of 10

    Russian Giant (Allium sativum)

    purplish skinned garlic on rough wooden table with vintage fruit crate label in back

    scarecrowfarm / Instagram

    Russian Giant is an attractive marbled purple stripe garlic with reddish purple clove wrappers. It has nice fat cloves, making it easy to slice and chop, or toss whole into the food processor for pesto, and it has a delicious mild flavor, perfect to use raw in a salad, salsa or guacamole. A good choice for those who want to eat raw garlic for various reasons but find the flavor of some other garlics too intense.

    • Native Area: Europe/Asia
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • 10 of 10

    German White (Allium sativum)

    White bulbs of garlic in a basket

    Carlos Hernandez / Getty Images

    Also known as German Extra-Hardy, this hardneck porcelain garlic is one of the most popular varieties grown in the United States. It's easy to grow, cold hardy and disease-resistant, producing large, easy to peel cloves. It has a fairly basic flavor, not too hot or spicy, suitable for cooking and using raw in salads. Despite the name, the clove wrappers beneath the white outer skins are often pink.

    • Native Area (Continent): Europe
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Height: 18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun