Garlic

Common Name: Garlic
Scientific Name:  Allium sativum
Plant Family: Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)

Primary Uses

Edible Parts:  As most people know, the garlic cloves are edible. In addition to the cloves, the scapes can be consumed as well. The garlic scapes are the leaf-like plant structures located above the ground. These different parts of the garlic plant are versatile and useful when cooking. Garlic has become an important spice in today’s world cooking.

Medicinal Uses:  Garlic is thought to have a wide variety of medicinal uses. It can reduce the risk of various cancers and heart disease, help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, and serve as an antibiotic. These benefits come from the variety of chemical compounds found in garlic. 

Meaning of Scientific Name:  Allium sativum, the scientific name for garlic tells us a lot about the plant. The Latin word allium refers to the genus of garlic, meaning bulbous plant. The Latin word sativum refers to the cultivation of this species of the plant. 

Sources

Farmer’s Almanac

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/what-the-heck-are-garlic-scapes-12195

Garlic Matters

https://garlicmatters.com/what-is-garlic/garlic-plant-structure/

Medicinal News Today

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php

Garden Guides

https://www.gardenguides.com/how_7908179_plant-garlic-zone-6.html