Winter garlic "BAI PI SUAN"  (白皮蒜)

Allium sativum var ophioscorodon subvar purple stripe

BAI PI SUAN is a group of softneck garlic of Chinese origin (softneck garlic), characterized by a very light, almost white skin and evenly formed cloves. In the international market, it is often called Chinese White Garlic, White-Skinned Garlic, or simply Baipi suan. This variety has been widely cultivated in China for several centuries and today is one of the most exported garlic varieties in the world, especially from the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, and Hebei.

Description

Botanical type

  • Allium sativum var. sativum (softneck – without flower stalk)

  • This variety does not have a rigid flower stalk, which is typical for commercial, longer-storing garlic.

Bulbs

  • Shape: round, symmetrical.

  • Color: snow white with very light, sometimes slightly pinkish wrappers.

  • Bulb weight: 35–70 g (for export grades up to 80 g).

  • Number of cloves: 10–20, depending on size.

  • Clove color: light creamy.

Taste and aroma

  • Medium pungent, pure garlic aroma.

  • Less spicy than “purple stripe” and hardneck varieties, suitable for fresh and cooked use.

Yield and cultivation

  • Productive variety with uniform sizes.

  • Suitable for large-scale production.

  • Vegetation period: 130–150 days.

  • Planted in autumn, harvested in mid-summer.

Storage

  • Very good storability: 6–8 months.

  • Softneck structure protects from rapid drying.

Disease resistance

  • Medium resistance to fungal diseases.

  • Can suffer from nematodes and mildew if grown in insufficiently dry conditions.

History

BAI PI SUAN or “white garlic” has been cultivated in China for more than 2000 years, and is considered one of the oldest cultivated garden crops in South and East Asia. Ancient written sources mention the use of garlic in medicine during the Han dynasty.

Since the mid-20th century, especially after the 1980s, China began large-scale commercial garlic exports, and BAI PI SUAN became the dominant export variety, thanks to:

  • excellent storability,

  • standardized appearance,

  • high yield,

  • milder taste, which is in demand in the world market.

Today, this variety is found in European, Asian, US, and Latin American markets and is considered the international “white garlic standard”.