Spanish Roja Garlic (lb)

Spanish Roja seed garlic is a storied Rocambole hardneck that reached the Portland, Oregon, area before 1900 and was once known locally as Greek or Greek Blue. Despite the Spanish name, its exact earlier route is less certain than its long Pacific Northwest history. Gardeners continue to grow it for easy-peel cloves, colorful wrappers, edible scapes, and famously rich flavor.

Mix & match savings. This item is eligible for the Garlic Mix & Match discount. Combine eligible seed garlic and shallots to save 10% at 3 pounds, 15% at 10 pounds, or 20% at 30 pounds. The discount is applied automatically in the cart.

Spanish Roja is a flavor-first heirloom for gardeners who value character over maximum shelf life. In a cold-winter bed, its bulbs can develop beautiful red, brown, and purple tones around a single ring of 8–12 cloves. The loose skins make kitchen prep quick, and curled scapes add an early taste of the crop. Keep it labeled at harvest—this storied Pacific Northwest Rocambole deserves a place in any serious garlic tasting.

The cloves have strong, spicy, complex garlic flavor with sweetness that becomes more apparent after cooking. Use small raw amounts in salsa, pesto, aioli, and dressings, or roast the cloves to mellow their heat for potatoes, soups, sauces, and spreads. Spanish Roja is often treated as a tasting garlic: keep it labeled at harvest and compare it with milder Porcelains or softnecks.

When growing Spanish Roja, pair winter cold with excellent drainage, since Rocamboles dislike sitting wet as spring begins. Plant in fall, water consistently through active growth, and enjoy the tender scapes before the bulbs are ready. Its harvest can run later than many mid-season hardnecks, so follow the leaves rather than the calendar. Cure the colorful bulbs gently in shade, then enjoy them ahead of the longest-storing softneck varieties.

Variety Details

• Type: Rocambole hardneck garlic
• Flavor: Rich, complex, spicy, and sweeter when cooked
• Bulbs & Cloves: Typically 8–12 cloves per bulb; bulb size and count vary with growing conditions
• Appearance: Colorful red-brown clove skins and purple-streaked wrappers
• Planting Time: Fall
• Approximate Harvest: Late summer; timing varies by climate and planting date
• Zones & Climate: Zones 3–9; best in cold-winter, well-drained gardens
• Storage: Cure carefully and enjoy before longer-keeping softnecks
• Something Special: A pre-1900 Portland-area Rocambole once called Greek Blue

Compare Garlic Varieties

For planting and variety guidance, visit the Garlic Resource Center, use the Garlic Selector, or browse all Seed Garlic & Shallots. For a side-by-side look at flavor, type, harvest timing, and more, open the downloadable Fall 2026 Garlic Varieties Summary (PDF).