SILVERSKIN garlics are layered like Artichokes and are also adaptable to a range of growing conditions but may bolt when stressed by cold weather. They have 14-24 reddish cloves on oblong shaped bulbs with white wrappers. Silverskins mature late and are the most productive weight planted to weight yielded. Silverskins have a straight across simple flavor, up front bite and lingering pungency. While their tight clove skins make them more difficult peel, this makes them excellent keepers, tolerant of a broader range of temperature and humidity in storage than other garlic types. Silverskins are frequently used in garlic braids. A pound of Silverskin will produce 60-80 cloves. Silverskins are $8 per ¼ lb; $12 per ½ lb; $18 per lb.
Mt. St. Helens: said to be an heirloom from Western Washington, this is a productive, long storing Silverskin. Like its namesake, it is volatile and pungent. It has white wrappers with yellow streaking and 14-18 pink-red striped cloves. Bulk available.
Silver Rose was named by Greg Lutovsky who got it from Basic Foods (now Gilroy Foods). This is one of the two standard California garlics commonly found in grocery stores. The industry grows it for a reason: it’s consistently productive and keeps remarkably well. While it yields higher than the other Silverskins, it’s more susceptible to bolting during cold wet springs.
Bolivian: from an open market in the highland city of La Paz, elevation nearly 12,000 feet, this Silverskin has many diminutive cloves that would be a chore to peel freshly harvested but when most other varieties have turned soft, this one is still crisp and pungent. It has stored up to 18 months! It is the last garlic to make it to a well deserved place at the table (or the skillet, as it were). The photo below was taken after about a year from harvest and stored in less than ideal conditions. ½ lb. limit
Greek: quite similar to the Bolivian in size and shape, stores just as well, and is one of the last varieties to mature. 1/2 lb. limit