Alliaria petiolata
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an herbaceous, biennial, forest understory invader. Its first year is spent as a rosette with kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. Second-year plants produce 1-10 stems, and have alternate,
triangular leaves with sharply toothed edges. When plants are 2-4 feet high, they produce small white flowers May-June, after which seed pods form. One plant can produce hundreds to thousands of seeds. Hand-pulling small populations can be an effective option if performed before seed dispersal. Cutting the plants in their second year, after stems have bolted, but before budding, is an alternative but must be done each year until the seedbank has been exhausted. Stems should be bagged and disposed of properly as they can continue to seed even after cutting. Herbicide application of 2% glyphosate can be applied to individual plants in fall or early spring, when native plants are dormant. Read more in this Missouri Department of Conservation Garlic Mustard Fact Sheet.
Identification and fact sheets
- Learn about garlic mustard at Invasive.org
- Learn about identification, threats, and control practices of garlic mustard from the Missouri Department of Conservation
- Read “Garlic Mustard in the Midwest: An Overview for Managers” by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network
- Read academic studies related to garlic mustard
Representative photos of garlic mustard:
Garlic mustard impact, abundance, and trend in Missouri
