| garlic mustard | USDA PLANTS Symbol: ALPE4 U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Herb |
| Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande | |
| Synonym(s): garlic-mustard, hedge garlic, sauce-alone, jack-by-the hedge, poor man's mustard, jack-n-the-bush, garlic root, garlicwort, mustard root | |
Garlic mustard is an herbaceous, biennial forb that is an aggressive invader of wooded areas throughout the eastern and middle United States. First-year plants are basal rosettes with green, heart-shaped, 1-6 in. (2.5-15.2 cm) long leaves. Second-year plants produce a 1-4 ft. (0.3-1.2 m) tall flowering stalk with small, white flowers in the early spring. Plants can be easily recognized by a garlic odor that is present when any part of the plant is crushed and by the strongly toothed, triangular leaves. A high shade tolerance allows this plant to invade high-quality, mature woodlands, where it can form dense stands. These stands not only shade out native understory flora but also produce allelopathic compounds that inhibit seed germination of other species. Garlic mustard is native to Europe and was first introduced into New England during the 1800s for medicinal and culinary purposes. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
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| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Foliage; 1st-year basal rosette. Clayton County, IA Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; first year leaves Jil M. Swearingen, USDI National Park Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); 1st year rosette Tom Heutte, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; 1st-year basal rosettes. Clayton County, IA Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Foliage; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); S-shaped crook at base of plant helps to distinguish this species. Martin County, KY Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Fruit(s); Long,thin, upright seed pods (siliques). Martin County, KY Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Understory incursion Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Control; Before control. Part of a before/after volunteer hand-pull control series. See image #2131100 for after image Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Control; After control. Part of a before/after volunteer hand-pull control series. See image #2132001 for before image Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Diagram or Graphic; Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 170. USDA PLANTS Database, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
| EDDMapS Distribution: |
