Alliaria petiolata. Commonly known as the Garlic Mustard plant as well as Hedge Garlic and Jack-by-the hedge. This plant is in the Brassicaceae family and grows upright to a height of over one metre. It is a leafy green type plant that very much looks like stinging nettles.
A Biennial plant, widespread and common, although scarcer in the north and west of Britain. It is native to Britain and grows along roadside verges, hedgerows, woodlands and riverbanks.
It requires moderate shade and can grow in a variety of soils but does avoid very acid soils.
Flowers occur from April to June, then after June the flowers turn into long green seed pods which disperse their seed from July onwards. Identifying this plant is easy by crushing the heart-shaped leaves which smell like garlic.
An important larval food plant for a variety of insects especially for the Orange-tip butterfly on damper sites, such as riverbanks. Less known fact is its important supply of food, for the caterpillars of the green-veined white butterfly.
The leaves are used in salads or as a flavouring for fish and meat.
Insects attracted to this wild flower can be seen in the images below...