Practical
Plants

Peltaria alliacea

Garlic Cress

a perennial evergreen member of the Peltaria genus in the family Brassicaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked[1]. A strong flavour, somewhat like a cross between garlic and mustard, the leaves make a reasonable flavouring for salads[K]. The leaves are available for most of the year, even in a severe winter they remain green and lush[K]. At this time they add an especially welcome spiciness to salads[K]. They can become rather bitter in the summer, though, especially if the plants are in a dry sunny position[K]. When flowering in early summer, the plants lose their leaves for a month or two - cutting down the flowering stems at this time will induce new fresh green growth[K]. Flowers - raw. A similar flavour to the leaves, with very little bitterness, they make a very tasty addition to summer salads[K].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plants can be used as a ground cover, somewhat slow spreading but they are effective in excluding weeds[K].

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Ground cover

Environment

Range
E. Europe.
Habitat
Hills and woods[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame[2]. The seed germinates rapidly, prick the seedlings out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer[K]. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, it can be done at almost any time of the year so long as the soil is kept moist. Divisions in the winter should be potted up in a greenhouse to allow themselves to establish, they can then be planted out in late spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a light fertile moist soil in sun or light shade[2], though it is not too fussy[K]. A very easily grown plant that tolerates considerable neglect, it produces its best crop of leaves from autumn to spring and is a potentially valuable winter salad plant[K]. The bruised leaves give off a powerful garlic smell which is difficult to remove from the hands[3].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  3. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  4. Polunin. O. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-19-217626-9

    ↩

Edit this page