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Cabbage Family

by Pam Atkinson

The daffodils and lesser celandines put on a magnificent show in the valley some years, followed by beautiful clumps of marsh marigolds coming into flower in early spring. But I have chosen to highlight two more restrained flowers that are both members of the cabbage or crucifer family and come into flower in April.

The first is one of my favourite flowers - Lady's Smock, Mayflower or Cuckoo flower (cardamine pratensis). Look out for swathes of its lilac, pink and white flowers in damp areas in the valley. The best place is in Long Meadow down by the brook. Pinnate leaves with rounded leaflets form a rosette at the root and there are different leaves on the stem. The seed pods stand upright.

The second in Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge (alliaris petiloaris). Its name tells you that its crushed leaves have an oniony smell and you find it growing along hedges. There is a lot of it around in early spring and you probably wouldn't give it a second glance - but it has an important part to play in the valley. The orange tip butterfly is the prettiest of the spring butterflies. you are the most likely to see the males because they spend much of their time wandering around looking for a mate. They are very conspicuous and easily seen by hungry birds but they taste dreadful. Their bodies contain large amounts of bitter mustard oils which they accumulate when they are caterpilars. Orange tips will be looking for crucifers to lay their eggs on, honesty and garlic mustard will attract them but lady's smock are the best. They pick a large plant that will have enough seed pods to feed one caterpillar and they lay a single egg on the underside of a flower bud. The caterpillar becomes beautifully camouflaged as it grows and it then leaves the plant in July to pupate over the winter.

Green veined white butterflies also feed on the nector from crucifers and will lay their eggs on watercress, lady's smock, garlic mustard and hedge mustard.

Small white butterflies, beloved of gardners, like any sort of cabbage and they are likely to be seen around the garlic mustard.

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