Russian Giant Garlic

[vegnut]

Hi everyone.
A bit premature, so here goes.
I wouldn't mind trying to grow Russian Giant Garlic this Autumn, but haven't had any luck trying to source them in this country.
Anyone got any idea where i could get this elusive fellow this coming Autumn.
Thanks in advance

[rana]

I think you will find that Russian Giant Garlic is another name for Elephant garlic which is generally available from the regular seedsmen as bulbs.

[vegnut]

I wouldn't have guessed that one. Many thanks rana

[flighty1]

Hi there, I have been sitting here waiting for the OH to get back from his day out shooting & thought I would have a look on google for this russian garlic. Having had a look I think you will find that the two varieties mentioned are actually different.
Elephant garlic (allium ampeloprasum) is actually more closely related to the leek than to ordinary garlic
Russian garlic (Allium Sativum) are a huge purple garlic which one web site describes as
"colossal hardneck bulbs look like purple mountains with a white cap of snow, and have 6-8 tan cloves per bulb. The plants look like small trees as they can grow to five feet in rich soil. Easy to peel."

http://www.seedsofchange.com/garden_...item_no=S17103

However, I also found a reference to elephant garlic being refered to as to russian garlic, but according to their latin names the elephant garlic & the russian giant are in fact two different varieties. Sorry

[rana]

Being scientifically accurate then you are correct Flighty, but I am afraid such accuracy does not extend to the seed companies who persist in misnaming or re-naming vegetables (and flowers) in error. It is often very difficult to nail down what species you are actually getting because of the drift in the use of colloquial and varietal names.

[flighty1]

Hi rana you are probably correct when you say that elephant garlic is mistakenly being sold as the russian garlic, hence the last couple of lines in my posting. However despite this confusion stock supplied by whatever supplier using incorrect/misleading names/descriptions should not happen, there should be no room for error with these two varieties because of amongst other things the difference in colour & therefore companies should not be misleading gardeners. They & with respect gardeners may be content to sell/accept what is being incorrectly sold as the russian variety, however if vegnut or indeed anybody else wants to grow the genuine article which I assume he does otherwise he wouldn't of submitted his initial post, then it can only be the Sativum variety.

[vegnut]

Interesting reading from both of you and many thanks. I look forward to someday getting hold of the Garlic Sativum variety.
I don't think i have seen the Garlic Ampeloprasum ever grow to 5 Feet and be a purple colour, so this sets a bit of a quandary. Oh joy.

[realfood]

If you google Russian garlic, the consensus of the answers is that Russian garlic and elephant garlic are one and the same, namely ampeloprasum. Elephant garlic does indeed grow to about 5 ft if you measure to include the pink flower spike.

[rana]

Interestingly - I visited Hampton Court flower show yesterday. The I o W Garlic Farm has its giant garlic bulbs (including bulbs described as elephant garlic) labeled up as Allium sativum. They were awarded a gold medal.