Practical
Plants

Allium sativum ophioscorodon

Serpent Garlic

a member of the Allium genus in the family Alliaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Alliaceae
Genus
Allium
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.15 m
Fertility
Bees, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

There have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in large quantities and by some mammals, of this species. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible[28].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bulb - raw or cooked. Widely used, especially in southern Europe, as a flavouring in a wide range of foods, both raw and cooked[18]. Garlic is a wonderfully nutritious and health giving addition to the diet, but it has a very strong flavour and so is mainly used in very small quantities as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods[7][29][2][20][21]. A nutritional analysis is available[13]. The bulbs can be up to 6cm in diameter[9]. Bulbils - raw or cooked[K]. An excellent strong garlic flavour, though they are rather small and therefore fiddly to peel[K]. Leaves - raw or cooked. Chopped and used in salads, they are rather milder than the bulbs[200, K]. The Chinese often cultivate garlic especially for the leaves, these can be produced in the middle of winter in mild winters[11]. The flowering stems are used as a flavouring and are sometimes sold in Chinese shops[6]. The sprouted seed is added to salads[6].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Garlic has a very long folk history of use in a wide range of ailments, particularly ailments such as ringworm, Candida and vaginitis where its fungicidal, antiseptic, tonic and parasiticidal properties have proved of benefit[13]. The plant produces inhibitory effects on gram-negative germs of the typhoid-paratyphoid-enteritis group, indeed it possesses outstanding germicidal properties[17] and can keep amoebic dysentery at bay[18]. It is also said to have anticancer activity[13]. It has also been shown that garlic aids detoxification of chronic lead poisoning[18]. Daily use of garlic in the diet has been shown to have a very beneficial effect on the body, especially the blood system and the heart. For example, demographic studies suggest that garlic is responsible for the low incidence of arteriosclerosis in areas of Italy and Spain where consumption of the bulb is heavy[14]. Recent research has also indicated that garlic reduces glucose metabolism in diabetics, slows the development of arteriosclerosis and lowers the risk of further heart attacks in myocardial infarct patients[16][19]. Externally, the expressed juice is an excellent antiseptic for treating wounds[18]. The fresh bulb is much more effective medicinally than stored bulbs, extended storage greatly reduces the anti-bacterial action[18]. The bulb is said to be anthelmintic, antiasthmatic, anticholesterolemic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, stings, stomachic, tonic, vasodilator[23][29][2][12][24][4].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Anticholesterolemic
Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Cancer
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Stings
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic
Product or use
Vasodilator

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The juice from the bulb is used as an insect repellent[27][2]. It has a very strong smell and some people would prefer to be bitten[K]. The juice can also be applied to any stings in order to ease the pain[27][2]. 3 - 4 tablespoons of chopped garlic and 2 tablespoons of grated soap can be infused in 1 litre of boiling water, allowed to cool and then used as an insecticide[10]. An excellent glue can be made from the juice[27], when this is spread on glass it enables a person to cut clean holes in the glass[27], The juice is also used as a glue in mending glass and china[24]. An extract of the plant can be used as a fungicide[5]. It is used in the treatment of blight and mould or fungal diseases of tomatoes and potatoes[10]. If a few cloves of garlic are spread amongst stored fruit, they will act to delay the fruit from rotting[27]. The growing plant is said to repel insects, rabbits and moles[2][8].

Product or use
Adhesive
Product or use
Fungicide
Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
C. Asia? Original habitat is obscure.
Habitat
Not known in a truly wild situation.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plant out the cloves in late autumn for an early summer crop[21][9]. They can also be planted in late winter to early spring though yields may not be so good. Plant the cloves with their noses just below the soil surface[9]. If the bulbs are left in the ground all year, they will often produce tender young leaves in the winter[K]. Bulbils, harvested in late summer, are best sown immediately in pots in a cold greenhouse, planting out in late spring after the last expected frosts[K]. They can also be stored in a cool place over the winter and then be planted outdoors like onion sets. They will not make such a big plant in their first year, however[K].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils but prefers a sunny position in a moist light well-drained soil[1][2][3][22]. Dislikes very acid soils[11]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.5 to 8.3. The bulb is liable to rot if grown in a wet soil[20][25]. Hardy to at least -10°c[11]. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply[1]. Garlic is widely cultivated in most parts of the world for its edible bulb, which is used mainly as a flavouring in foods. This sub-species differs mainly in forming more bulbils on the flowering head, and this flowering head usually coils into 1- 2 loops before opening[9]. Since it produces these bulbils (which make an excellent garlic, though they are rather on the small side) as well as underground cloves, it can be more productive[K]. We often grow this plant for a number of years before digging it up - it forms larger and larger clumps each year, with an abundance of bulbils[K]. There are a number of named varieties[6]. Bulb formation occurs in response to increasing daylength and temperature[9]. It is also influenced by the temperature at which the cloves were stored prior to planting. Cool storage at temperatures between 0 and 10°c will hasten subsequent bulb formation, storage at above 25°c will delay or prevent bulb formation[9][11]. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes[5][8][26]. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other[10]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[15].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  3. Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0

    ↩

  4. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  5. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  8. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩1↩2

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  10. Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  11. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  13. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  14. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩

  15. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  16. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  17. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  18. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  19. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩

  20. Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8

    ↩1↩2

  21. Organ. J. Rare Vegetables for Garden and Table. Faber 1960-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  22. Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878-00-00

    ↩

  23. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  24. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  25. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩

  26. Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-584-10141-4

    ↩

  27. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  28. Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291

    ↩

  29. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2

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