Plant encyclopedia›garlic mustard

garlic mustard

Also known as: Jack-by-the-hedge; garlic root; garlic wort; hedge garlic; hedge mustard; poor man's mustard; sauce-alone

A hairy biennial herb, which can be variable in height; is usually unbranched and bears heart to kidney-shaped toothed green leaves that emit a pungent garlic odour especially when crushed. Flowers are white from 3-5mm in diameter and born in terminal clusters. Seed capsules are long and slender from 20-70mm in length

Scientific classification

Species: garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Genus: Alliaria
Family: Brassicaceae

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Toxicity: Annual Biennial
Plant type: 0.5-1 metres
Height: 0.1-0.5 metres
Spread: Evergreen
Foliage: Bushy
Habit: Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Season of interest: Full shade · Partial shade
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

garlic mustard pictures

Distribution of garlic mustard

Distribution map

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Culture

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Toxicity

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Quick identification of garlic mustard

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garlic mustard care guide

Moderate regular watering, allowing brief slight drying between soakings
Watering: Full shade · Partial shade
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

Watering

Moderate regular watering, allowing brief slight drying between soakings

Fertilizing

Balanced perennial feed every four weeks from spring through summer

Pruning

No pruning required

Propagation

Propagate by seed as soon as ripe. If sowing in situ, it is best to sow in autumn as it requires a long period of chilling to break dormancy

Growing

Prefers a rich damp alluvial soil, thriving in damp shady places where few other herbs will grow. A good woodland-edge and hedgerow plant, the plant emits a strong smell of garlic which is especially pronounced if the leaves are bruised. This species is an important food source for the orange-tip and green-veined-white butterflies

More growing and care information →