Floyd Admin
Posts : 104 Join date : 2011-05-03 Location : UK
| Subject: Garlic Mustard Fri May 06, 2011 8:20 pm | |
| Garlic Mustard ( alliaria petiolata) A nettle that doesn't sting thank the lord. In early spring this stuff is absolutley everywhere in the UK. Here is a photo of a cheeky little number I found. You can use it in salads. Basically it looks like a nettle with white flowers | |
|
Green Grass
Posts : 46 Join date : 2011-05-06
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Fri May 06, 2011 8:51 pm | |
| Well!! I do not think it will be safe to say that it is a nettle..because it is not.. It may look like a nettle but it belongs to the onion family!! ( Alliaria petiolata- Brassicaceae) When crushed the leaves have a distinct smell of GARLIC. THe whole plant has also many medicinal uses. | |
|
Floyd Admin
Posts : 104 Join date : 2011-05-03 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Fri May 06, 2011 8:54 pm | |
| [/quote]Well!! I do not think it will be safe to say that it is a nettle..because it is not.. It may look like a nettle but it belongs to the onion family!! ( Alliaria petiolata- Brassicaceae) When crushed the leaves have a distinct smell of GARLIC. THe whole plant has also many medicinal uses. [/quote] Well thanks for that correction. It certainly looks more like a nettle than an onion. Yes I like the smell of the crunched up leaves! Thanks Green Grass...you certainly know your onions! Ive heard it makes an excellent addition to nettle soup though so at least they compliment each other. | |
|
MorningSong
Posts : 22 Join date : 2011-05-18 Age : 60 Location : Lombardy, Italy
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Wed May 18, 2011 10:01 pm | |
| Sorry, Folks, but the Garlic Mustard is of the Mustard (Brassicaceae) family not of the onion/garlic (Allium) genus. Yes, it smells like garlic, but it isn't... it's latin name Alliaria literally means garlic air/smell.
Most wildlife and livestock do not like it's taste and will avoid it unless no other forage is available. Cow's milk will acquire a garlic-like taste if the cows have eaten certain quantities of this herb.
Mustard Garlic is a biennial, meaning that it blooms in the second year. The leaves, flowers and fruit(seeds) are edible and can be used in salads and pestos, or cooked to add garlic flavor.
Added to compost piles, it increases the rate of decomposition of organic materials, but avoiding adding the Garlic Mustard seed in a must, as this plant if very invasive and produces natural chemicals which deter other plants' growth.
The essential oil (similar to garlic) is derived from the roots and the seeds, and is used mostly as a treatment for intestinal parasites.
Last edited by MorningSong on Wed May 18, 2011 10:10 pm; edited 4 times in total (Reason for editing : missed an r and an l) | |
|
Green Grass
Posts : 46 Join date : 2011-05-06
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Wed May 18, 2011 10:06 pm | |
| | |
|
MorningSong
Posts : 22 Join date : 2011-05-18 Age : 60 Location : Lombardy, Italy
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Wed May 18, 2011 10:08 pm | |
| No problem, Green Grass! LOL!! We're all here to learn. | |
|
Floyd Admin
Posts : 104 Join date : 2011-05-03 Location : UK
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Wed May 18, 2011 10:29 pm | |
| Well blow me down with a feather! You learn something new every day. Cheers Floyd | |
|
olgraybear
Posts : 19 Join date : 2011-05-18
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard Thu May 19, 2011 11:27 am | |
| Ok, I'm so impressed Morningsong,
Definately a wealth of information. Thanks for your post. | |
|
Sponsored content
| Subject: Re: Garlic Mustard | |
| |
|