Alliaria alliaria (L.) Britton
Alliaria officinalis Andrz. ex M. Bieb.
Erysimum alliaria L.
Sisymbrium alliaria (L.) Scop.
|
Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara & Grande Garlic mustard
Garlic mustard is native to Europe, Asia, northwestern Africa, and parts of India and China. “Garlic mustard” is so-called because the crushed leaves smell faintly of garlic, and the leaves, flowers and fruits taste like mild garlic and mustard. (The plant is a member of the mustard family.) Originally introduced to North America during the 1800s as a culinary herb, it is now naturalized and widespread. It has found itself a place on the Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group Least Wanted list, and on many similar lists. In addition to replacing large areas previously populated by a variety of wildflowers, garlic mustard inhibits ectomycorrhizal fungi, which play a key role in forest ecosystems. Identification: Plants are 12-51" (30-130 cm) tall. Young leaves are triangular, with fairly sharp-toothed serrations; older leaves are heart-shaped, with rounded serrations; all are wrinkly. Leaves are 1¾-3" (5-7.5 cm) long and ¾-2" (2-6 cm) wide. Groups of small white flowers, each less than ¼" (6.3 mm) in diameter, with four petals, appear on the top. The fruits, called siliques, resemble tiny upward-pointing bean pods. Plants that are often found near garlic mustard include Cut-leaved toothwort, sweet cicely, and early saxifrage. All three of these are occasionally confused with garlic mustard. However, the leaves differ greatly in these species. Cut-leaved toothwort has very narrow, dark green leaves. Sweet cicely has deeply divided, fernlike leaves and 5-petaled white flowers on stalks. Early saxifrage has leaves only at the base, and branching groups of tiny white flowers on long stalks. Its leaves are vaguely similar, but oval-shaped, not heart-shaped.
Edibility: Leaves, flowers and fruit taste mildly of both garlic and mustard, and can be used to flavor salads and pesto. Online References:
Invasive.org, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses The Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant Working Group Least Wanted List
4/30/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts
5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
10/20/2011 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
4/4/2012 · North Central Railroad Trail, End, Phoenix, Maryland Alliaria petiolata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 5 Oct 2021.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved. |
10/16/2016 · Appalachian Trail, Mount Everett, Mt. Washington, Massachusetts
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
4/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
6/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
10/16/2016 · Appalachian Trail, Mount Everett, Mt. Washington, Massachusetts
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
5/4/2017 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
4/29/2010 · Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, Chelmsford, Massachusetts Range:
|
