Garlic Mustard

Information

Alliaria petiolata - Brassicaceae Family - Biennial

garlic_mustard_1_tile garlic_mustard_2_tile garlic_mustard_3_tile garlic_mustard_4_tile

Identification

Flowers: Small, four petaled white flowers clustered at the top of a single stem.
Seeds / Roots: Prolific seed producer. The root has a distinct “L” or “S” shape just below the stem.
Leaves: Rosette leaves are kidney shaped. Mature stem leaves are triangular and become increasingly smaller towards the tip. In the spring, new leaves have a prominent garlic smell.
Flowering Time: April – June after the first year.
Life cycle: 4ft tall biennial herb that germinates and forms seedlings in the spring and early summer, followed by flowering and seed production the following spring.

Impacts

Produces chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants, fungi, and butterfly larvae.
Displaces native plants due to self-pollination, early maturation and seed production, lack of natural enemies, and an aggressive mat-like growth habit.

Most effective control methods

For mature plants, hand pulling in the spring before seed production is the most effective form of control for small infestations.
Dispose of the stems and flowers from the site, as pulled plants left on the ground can still produce viable seed.
For rosettes, hand pulling is not recommended, as the stems tend to break off at ground level and the plants re-sprout.
Monitor the site throughout the season, as germination takes place for many months. Seeds may stay viable in the soil for up to 10 years.
For larger infestations, spraying in the spring and/ or fall with a selective herbicide such as 2, 4-D and dicamba (such as Weed-B-Gon), Triclopyr (Garlon 3A), and Metsulfuron (Escort XP) has been known to be effective.

Control methods and timing

March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct
Prev Chem Mech	Prev Chem Mech	Mech	Mech			Chem	Chem

March

April

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Mech

Chem

Prevention (Prev) Monitor and destroy new plants before seed production.

Mechanical (Mech) Hand pulling, digging, cutting, mowing and tilling.

Cultural (Cult) Biological control agents, livestock grazing, and revegetation practices.

Chemical (Chem) Selective herbicides based on the plant and the specific location. Check our weed fact sheets for specific control information.

Garlic mustard: flower

Garlic mustard: foliage

Garlic mustard: seedlings

Garlic mustard: plant

Garlic mustard: infestation

Garlic mustard: seed pods

Garlic mustard: infestation