Price is per pound of seed garlic.

Elephant Garlic (Allium ampeloprasum)
Despite its name, elephant garlic is more closely related to leeks than to true garlic. It forms large, mild-flavored cloves that are ideal for roasting, sautéing, or eating raw in salads. A long-lived perennial in mild climates, elephant garlic is a fantastic addition to the permaculture garden or homestead for those looking for a low-maintenance, high-yielding allium with culinary and companion planting value.

Key Characteristics

• Mild, Sweet Garlic Flavor
  Elephant garlic produces massive bulbs with large cloves that have a much milder, sweeter taste than standard garlic. It's especially prized for roasting whole or slicing raw into salads where a less pungent bite is desired.
• Perennial in Mild Climates
  In USDA Zones 7 and warmer, elephant garlic can perennialize and form clumps over time. In colder zones, it's grown as an annual but often returns if some cloves are left in the soil.
• Excellent Companion Plant
  Like other alliums, elephant garlic is a strong pest deterrent. It can be interplanted among fruit trees or garden crops to help repel aphids, slugs, and other insect pests, making it ideal for fruit tree guilds and polyculture designs.
• Ornamental and Pollinator-Friendly Blooms
  If left to flower, elephant garlic sends up tall, striking purple allium blooms that attract pollinators such as bees and hoverflies. These blooms also offer structural beauty in edible landscapes and meadows.
• Culinary Versatility
  Both the cloves and the flower stalks ("scapes") are edible. Scapes can be harvested young for stir-fries and pestos. The massive cloves can be roasted whole or used as a subtle garlic flavor in any dish.

Product Details

• Native Range: Eastern Mediterranean
• Plant Life Cycle: Perennial in Zones 7+, grown as annual in colder areas
• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Medium, well-drained soil
• Mature Height: 3–5 feet (flowering stalks)
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
• Bloom Color: Purple
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9 (perennial in 7–9, mulch well in 5–6)

Garden Success & Takeaways

Elephant garlic brings both form and function to gardens. It's easy to grow, long-storing, and adaptable, with showy flowers and pest-repelling properties. Ideal for food forests, herb spirals, and perennial vegetable beds, this gentle giant earns its keep year after year.