Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Mostly smooth, errect ,sparsely branched biennial to 3' tall. Leaves are alternate, coarsely toothed, short-stalked, to 2.6" long & wide. Leaves have a garlic order. 

Flowers are white, 4 petals to 0.25" long and spatulate
and gradually narrowed to a claw; in a raceme to 12" long, terminal from the leaf axils. 

Bloom time: April - May.

Where found: introduced from Europe.  A weedy species of woodlands and gardens, found in most of the Eastern
U.S. Sparsely distributed across TN. Occasional.

The genus name Alliaria is from the Latin allium and means "garlic", referring the pungent odor of the plant. The plant is
also called Hedge Garlic. The edible leaves have the odor and
taste of garlic and can be added to salads for flavoring. 

When cooked, the leaves lose their aroma but retain their
bitterness, so are best raw. The seeds can be used for seasoning, despite the bitter taste.