Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
A plant that flowers the second year. Young leaves taste of both garlic and mustard giving the english name. The seeds are one of the earliest known spices dating back to 4000BCE. This species has been introduced to North America by earlier settlers.
Last changed on 2024-12-16
Common Names
- Garlic Mustard 🇨🇦
- Herbe à ail 🇫🇷
- Knoblauchsrauke 🇩🇪
- Hierba del ajo 🇲🇽
Photos
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Characteristics & Identification
How to Identify
When flowering, the plant is grown high and thin. Identified by its color white and the small four symmetrical petals of the flower, bundled together with other flowers.
Where and When to Spot
I usually see this flower in forests forming large patches.
Taxonomy
- Order: Brassicales
- Family: Brassicaceae
- Species: Alliaria petiolata
Morphology
Flowers
- Color: white
- Shape: stellate
- Inflorescence: raceme
Leaves
- Arrangement: alternate
- Petiole: long
- Shape: cordate
- Margin: dentate
- Venation: pinnate
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belvédère Outremont | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Nature Pointe aux Prairies | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Île-de-la-Visitation | x | - | - | - |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.