Garlic, scientifically known as Allium sativum, is cultivated primarily for its pungent underground bulb, but the plant also produces a distinct flowering structure called a scape. This structure represents a key stage in the plant’s annual life cycle and is often a source of confusion for new growers. Understanding the appearance and purpose of this structure provides insight into the plant’s biology and offers an unexpected harvest before the main bulb is ready.
The Anatomy of the Garlic Flower
The structure that emerges from the center of the garlic plant is a rigid, leafless stalk known as the scape, which is essentially the plant’s flower stem. Before opening, the terminal end of the scape forms a pointed, swollen protective covering called a spathe. This spathe initially encases the developing flower head, often displaying a distinctive, tight coil or curl as it grows upward from the leaves.
As the scape straightens and matures, the spathe eventually splits open to reveal the flower head, which is technically an umbel—a cluster of tiny flowers originating from a single point. Within this umbel, the plant produces very few true flowers that develop viable seeds. Instead, the majority of the structure is made up of numerous small, bulb-like clones called bulbils, which are miniature aerial cloves.
The overall shape of the opened flower head is spherical or globe-like, resembling a small pom-pom perched atop the tall, green stalk. The coloring of the mature structure can vary significantly among different cultivars, ranging from pale white to soft pinks or vibrant purple tinges. The development of these bulbils, rather than true seeds, is a form of asexual reproduction.
The Hardneck and Softneck Difference
The presence of a noticeable flowering structure is the defining characteristic that separates the two major types of cultivated garlic. Hardneck garlic, formally known as Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon, reliably produces the central, rigid flowering stalk, or scape. This woody stem extends directly through the center of the cloves, giving the harvested bulb its characteristic hard, non-braidable neck.
In contrast, softneck garlic, or Allium sativum var. sativum, is genetically programmed to prioritize bulb production over flowering. This variety generally does not produce a true scape, though some plants may occasionally bolt under stressful environmental conditions. The lack of a hard central stem makes the neck of the softneck plant pliable, which is why these varieties are traditionally used for braiding.
The distinction is important because the noticeable flower structure described is almost exclusive to hardneck types. Softneck varieties divert all their energy into maximizing the number of cloves in the underground bulb, resulting in a flexible neck and numerous clove layers.
Impact on the Bulb and Culinary Use
For gardeners, the emergence of the scape is a signal that the plant is beginning to redirect its energy away from bulb development toward reproduction. If the scape is left on the plant, the substantial resources required to produce the aerial bulbils will result in a significantly smaller underground bulb at harvest. This biological trade-off is the primary reason for the practice of removing the scape, often called “scap-ing.”
Removing the scape when it first begins to curl redirects the plant’s energy back into the subterranean bulb, leading to a yield increase that can range from 20% to 30% in bulb size. The removed scapes, however, are a prized seasonal vegetable with a crunchy texture and a mild garlic flavor. They are often used in cooking much like chives or asparagus, offering a gentle, herbaceous garlicky note that is less pungent than the mature cloves.
The bulbils produced in the mature flower head are also edible, though they are much stronger in flavor than the immature scape. These small clones can be used to propagate new garlic plants, but it takes two to three years for them to grow into a full-sized, mature bulb. Harvesting the tender, curled scape before it fully develops the bulbils ensures the best possible size for the main bulb while providing a culinary bonus.