Herb Garlic Mustard

This medium-sized short-lived perennial has small white, yellow-centred flowers which open from April to June, and are followed by long green seed pods. One of the easiest ways to identify this plant is by crushing its fresh green, heart-shaped leaves that smell of garlic. As the flowering stems bloom they elongate into a spike-like shape. Plants are often found growing along the margins of hedges, hence one of its common names. It has deeply-growing, thin, white tap roots that are scented like horseradish. The chopped leaves are used for flavouring salads and sauces such as pesto, and sometimes the flowers and fruit are included as well. These are best when young, and provide a mild flavour of both garlic and mustard, and indeed are sometimes used to season food directly in France.