Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard

A common, native, biennial plant of woodland edges, hedgebanks and waste places which is widespread and sometimes abundant in all of these habitats in West Glamorgan. It often appears in large amounts in areas of woodland that have been cleared or coppiced. The white, 4-petalled, cruciform flowers are quite conspicuous and coupled with the distinctive, coarsely toothed, almost heart-shaped leaves, make it an easy plant to identify. When crushed, the leaves smell of garlic, hence its common name, but the smell is not as strong as with true garlics such as Ramsons (Allium ursinum). It is a food plant for the Orange-tip Butterfly (Anthocaris cardamines).

Native