Winter garlic "CHECNOK RED"

Allium sativum var ophioscorodon subvar purple stripe

   

Chesnok Red is one of the most popular hardneck garlic varieties in the world, known for its distinctly purple bulbs, excellent taste, and good storage qualities. The variety comes from Siberia and southern Russia, where it has been grown for centuries by local gardeners. Today, it is one of the most widely cultivated “Purple Stripe” group varieties in Europe and North America.

Chesnok Red is often called one of the tastiest hardneck varieties, as it retains its flavor even after heat treatment – especially when baked.

History

Chesnok Red comes from the territory of Russia, where it was traditionally called “Snow Garlic” and grown in areas with very cold winters. The variety became popular in the West at the end of the 20th century, when American gardeners began to collect and breed Eastern European hardneck garlics.

The name “Chesnok” comes from the Russian word "чеснок" – garlic.

Nowadays it is one of:

  • the most recognized culinary varieties,

  • the most consistently productive hardneck varieties,

  • the most popular in organic farms.

Description

Variety type

  • Hardneck garlic (hardneck)

  • Group: Purple Stripe

Bulb

  • Shape: round, slightly flattened

  • Color: bright purple-striped outer skins

  • Average weight: 40–70 g, in good conditions up to 90 g

Cloves

  • Number of cloves: 7–12 large and uniform

  • Clove skin: violet-brown

  • Cloves separate easily, easy to peel

Taste qualities

  • Taste: rich, sweet, with a pronounced garlic aroma

  • After heat treatment becomes even sweeter and milder

  • Excellent for: baking, roasting, sauces, meat and vegetable dishes

Vegetation period

  • Medium-late variety

  • Forms a strong flower stalk

Growing qualities

  • Resistant to cold and frost

  • Grows well also in dry regions

  • Suitable for professional and home cultivation

  • Moderately resistant to diseases (especially root rot)

Yield

  • From 1 m²: 0.7–1.2 kg

  • Each bulb grows evenly, stably

Storage

  • Storage duration: 5–7 months

  • Longer than many other hardneck types