Garlic Mustard

Garlic Mustard  (Alliaria)

Garlic Mustard is a wild plant with white flowers. The leaves of Garlic Mustard smell and taste like garlic or onion, although Garlic Mustard is not related to them. Garlic Mustard is a fine kitchen herb that can be used in salads early in spring. The plants are also loved by various insects. Cabbage whites and orange tips use Garlic Mustard as a food plant for their caterpillars. Garlic Mustard is biennial; a rosette forms in the first year and they flower in the second year, after which they die off. Fortunately, Garlic Mustard propagates well so you will always find Garlic Mustard somewhere in your garden. Garlic Mustard prefers to grow in woodland edges in normal to moist soil, but is not very fussy. Garlic Mustard fits well in a natural planting or woodland garden.