Artichoke Garlic, Lors Italian – 4 oz

$20.00

Artichoke Garlic, a softneck variety, is so named because the overlapping clove configuration around the bulb resembles an artichoke.  The plants are vigorous and the bulbs are large.  These garlics usually do not produce a seedhead, but may produce bulbils which will protrude from the lower part of the stem.  Generally, Artichoke Garlics have 12-20 mildly flavored cloves.  The mild flavor makes them a favorite of individuals who enjoy eating raw garlic. With some strains, the flavor may be intensified by cold winter growing.  One pound of bulbs averages 80 plants.

Lorz Italian is one of the most popular garlics Harvesting History offers. The first bulbs were brought from Italy to Washington State’s Columbia Basin in the 1800s by the Lorz family. Its large outer cloves and the fact that it produces few inner cloves which can be problematic to use in culinary applications, soon made Lorz Italian a favorite. The cultivar was very productive and vigorous.

Lorz Italian has a rich, strong complex flavor with no vegetative or other less optimal flavor characteristics. It is known for enhancing flavors from a diversity of culinary offerings. This garlic cultivar is particularly well suited to the dry to arid regions of the Okanogan River Valley, but  it also does well with summer heat.

Type Spacing Planting Depth HZ Maturation
Artichoke 6-8 in. 3-4 in. 4-9 180-240 Days

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Artichoke Garlic, Lors Italian

GARLIC, which is a member of the same group of plants as the ONION, has been cultivated for millennia.  As a cultivated plant, it is so old that it is difficult to credit a country of origin for this vegetable.  Some historians believe that onions and garlic was indigenous to the southwest of Siberia and spread to southern Europe where it became naturalized.  It is widely grown in all the Mediterranean countries.

All modern garlic belongs to one of two subspecies:  hardneck (ophioscorodon) or softneck (sativum).  Hardneck subspecies try to produce flower stalks with small aerial cloves called bulbils.  Hardnecks will not produce large bulbs underground unless the flower stalks are removed.  There are seven varieties of hardneck garlic:  Asiatics, Purple Striped, Glazed Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe, Porcelain, Turban and Rocambole.  Softnecks have lost the ability, for the most part, to produce a flower stalk.  However, under certain climatic situations, the bulbs may try to produce a flower stalk known as bolting.  There are four varieties of softneck garlic:  Artichoke, Turban, Silverskin and Creole.

Ted Jordan Meredith in his landmark book, The Complete Book of Garlic, A Guide for Gardeners, Growers, and Serious Cooks, in my opinion, the best book ever written on garlic, perhaps offered the most succinctly put and accurately and comprehensively organized summary of the nature and value of the Artichoke Group when he wrote,

“Artichoke cultivars are among the most productive and least problematic. They are ready for harvesting earlier, readily develop very large bulbs, and adapt to a wide range of growing conditions and soils.”

Artichoke garlic is named for its overlapping cloves that resemble an artichoke.  Artichoke garlic bulbs can have as many as 3-5 overlapping clove layers.  The plants are very vigorous and large bulbed.  The flavor is mild, and this is often the garlic chosen for eating raw.  Artichoke garlic is an excellent storer.  The bulbs contain 12-20 cloves.  One pound of seed garlic will produce approximately 80 plants.

Artichoke garlic cultivars are among the most productive and least problematic of all garlic cultivars. They mature earlier than other garlic cultivars and produce huge bulbs. Best of all, they adapt to a wide range of growing environments, so they can be grown throughout most of the US.  Only in Hardiness Zones 1-2 and 8-10 will they have a hard time.

Planting Garlic, Shallots, Onions and Elephant Garlic

Additional information

Weight 4 oz
Dimensions 6 × 3.5 × 3.5 in
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4 oz, 8 oz

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