Rocambole Garlics
Last updated on Jul 15, 2024 by Ben Ronniger
In the spring they send up a scape (stalk) that forms a complete double loop. (They're the only garlics that do a double loop.) They have usually eight to ten cloves arranged in circular fashion about a central scape and have few or no smaller internal cloves.
They do not grow well in warmer climates. They require a colder winter and a cooler spring than we have in most states south of Ohio. Warm winter denizens can and should buy them to eat because they're great.
Their primary drawback, other than being fussy about growing conditions, is that they are among the shortest storing garlics of all, storing 5-6 months from harvest and seldom storing beyond New Years Day. Even though they have a short shelf life, they are excellent for slicing and dehydrating and will store for years once dehydrated and kept dry and the slices can be ground into an excellent garlic powder that is so good, you won't ever want to buy grocery store garlic powder again. Another way to preserve them is to pickle them as they make fabulous pickled garlic that gets better every year for about five years. For more information about preserving garlic: Click here to go to our Preserving Garlic webpage
They more than make up for any of their shortcomings with their flavor.
Did I mention flavor? Their flavor must be experienced to be believed - its depth is remarkable. They have a deep earthy muskiness about them that few other garlics have and most are fiery when eaten raw though there are a few mild ones.
Rocambole Garlics Varieties
![Caretaker](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Usually harvests in early summer and stores into mid winter at room temperature. Caretaker is a big, robust, strong, full flavored, hardy, hardneck garlic. If you grow Porcelains or other later harvesting, longer st...
Learn more about Caretaker Garlic![Killarney Red](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early-mid summer - stores through fall into winter A rich, hot, strong Rocambole Garlic Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens (northern growers). Killarney Red's source of origin is unknown and is t...
Learn more about Killarney Red Garlic![Russian Red](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Usually harvests in late June/early July and stores into mid-winter at room temperature. Grows great in the northernmost locales but the further south you get the more difficult they are to grow and forget about grow...
Learn more about Russian Red Garlic![Spanish Roja](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early-mid summer - stores through fall into winter Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. Spanish Roja, an heirloom garlic, (a garden plant whose lineage can be traced for a 100 years or more) came t...
Learn more about Spanish Roja Garlic![Carpathian (Polish)](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. Harvests early-mid summer - stores into mid-winter Carpathian came from the mountains of the same name in Southeast Poland and is sometimes called Polish Carpathian. It ...
Learn more about Carpathian (Polish) Garlic![Paw Paw](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests in early summer - stores through fall into winter Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. The rich, mellow Rocambole hardneck Garlic of the Midwest. Paw Paw is rare because it is a full flavored mell...
Learn more about Paw Paw Garlic![Amish](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early-mid summer - stores through fall into winter. A rich, hot, strong Rocambole Garlic that grows better in cold winter gardens. Amish Rocambole may be an heirloom garlic, who knows? (a garden plant whose...
Learn more about Amish Garlic![German Red](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early in summer - stores into mid-winter A rich, musky Rocambole Hardneck Garlic. Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. German Red came to this country along with German immigrants a long time ago...
Learn more about German Red Garlic![Purple Italian / Italian Purple](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests in early summer - stores through fall into winter A rich, musky but mellow Rocambole hardneck Garlic. Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. Italian Purple is rare because it is an Italian rocambol...
Learn more about Purple Italian / Italian Purple Garlic![Bavarian Purple](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
A rich, musky Rocambole hardneck garlic. Harvests early in summer - stores into mid-winter A delicious Rocambole that stores longer than most Rockies. Bavarian Pruple is an early harvesting, richly flavored mildly pu...
Learn more about Bavarian Purple Garlic![German Giant (Red)](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests in early summer - stores into winter German Giant is a Rocambole that is prized not only for its size but for its deep rich musky, earthy garlickiness as well as a hot bite when eaten raw. German Giant is a ...
Learn more about German Giant (Red) Garlic![Korean Red Hot](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early summer - stores through fall into winter Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. Korean Red Hot is a generally a vigorous grower with large foliage that is dark green and results in a pretty go...
Learn more about Korean Red Hot Garlic![Ukraine](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Usually harvests in early summer and stores into mid winter at room temperature Cold winter hardneck Rocambole garlic. • Ukraine can grow into a big, robust, hardy, hardneck garlic. If you grow Porcelains or other l...
Learn more about Ukraine Garlic![Italian Easy Peel](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests in early summer - stores through fall into winter Rocamboles grow better in cold winter gardens. Italian Easy Peel is rare because of its incredible ease of peeling, thus its name. It is an Italian rocambol...
Learn more about Italian Easy Peel Garlic![Slovenian](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early in summer - stores into mid-fall Finally! A delicious Rocambole that is not hot. Slovenian is an early harvesting, richly flavored lightly pungent garlic that grows well in cold winter areas. In additi...
Learn more about Slovenian Garlic![Walden Redneck](/assets/garlic_stock-5a8e56b37458df85951c988422b06f8d896858426bccd98a120874f163657cf8.jpg)
Harvests early in summer - stores into mid-winter A rich, unique Rocambole hardneck Garlic with a flair that stores longer than most Rockies. Walden Redneck is a long time favorite of the folks up in Vermont and I c...
Learn more about Walden Redneck Garlic