Garlic has been cultivated around the world for thousands of years and is found in almost every cuisine on the planet. Its aromatic bulbs are renowned for their distinctive flavour and medicinal properties. A herb growing from a strongly aromatic, rounded bulb composed of around 10 to 20 cloves covered in a papery coat. The long, sword-shaped leaves are attached to an underground stem and the greenish-white or pinkish flowers grow in dense, spherical clusters atop a flower stalk.

Every part of the garlic plant is edible. It is widely used around the world as a seasoning.

The strongly aromatic bulb is the most popular part of the plant. It is used either fresh or as a dry powder or oil. Crushing or grinding the fresh garlic cloves intensifies their flavour and aroma.

Garlic flower stalks (scapes) and leaves are also sometimes used in cooking, and immature, green garlic bulbs can be found in some Southeast Asian and Chinese dishes.

Garlic is the second most consumed bulb after onion.

There are two main types, or subspecies, of garlic: Hard-necked garlic (Allium sativum var. ophioscorodon) and soft-necked garlic (Allium sativum var. sativum)