Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
Alliaria petiolata, or garlic mustard, is a biennial flowering plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is native to Europe, western and central Asia, north-western Africa, Morocco, Iberia and the British Isles, north to northern Scandinavia, and east to northern Pakistan and Xinjiang in western China. It has now become a tenacious invasive plant across the northern U.S., in particular because of its earlier springtime emergence than many native species, often in the forest understory.
Quick Facts
| Scientific name | Alliaria petiolata |
| Family | Brassicaceae |
| Height | 1-3 ft |
| Bloom time | Apr-Jun |
| Sun | Part shade to shade |
| Moisture | Mesic |
| Soil | Rich loam |
| Wildlife value | INVASIVE. Poisons soil fungi that native trees depend on; a single plant sets thousands of seeds |
Mentioned In
Image Credits
- Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- O. Pichard (CC BY-SA 3.0)