Garlic
Since time immemorial, garlic
has been recognized in almost all of the
cultures for its medicinal as well as culinary properties. This
wonderful herbal plant, grown for its underground root or bulb,
contains many health promoting phyto-nutrient substances that have
proven benefits against coronary artery diseases, infections and
cancers.
This root herb plant belongs to the family of Alliaceae of the
genus Allium;
and scientifically known as Allium
sativum. It is believed to be originating in the
mountainous Central Asian region from where it has spread all over the
temperate and subtropical regions of the world.
Allium
sativum is a perennial crop and is
grown by methods similar to those used in
growing onions.
Fully-grown plant reaches about 50 to 60 cm in height and bears
underground
bulbous root containing about 8-20 bulblets known as cloves. The whole
bulb is encased by several layers of white or mauve-tinged thin papery
coverings.
Several cultivar varieties exist from extra large
elephant garlic to small sized solo garlic. Allium oleraceum or
field garlic is a wild, tall variety commonly grown in the
United
Kingdom.
Unlike in onion, the flowers of
the garlic plant are sterile and therefore do
not produce seeds. New plants generally are grown from planting the
individual
sections of the bulb.
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