Specimen record
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
Conservation note
Invasive species — collection and removal encouraged. Do not leave uprooted plants where seeds can disperse.
Invasive species
This plant is non-native and invasive. Collection is encouraged. Invasive species — collection and removal encouraged. Do not leave uprooted plants where seeds can disperse.
Description
An invasive biennial herb from Europe that has become one of the most serious woodland invaders in eastern North America. It displaces native spring wildflowers by allelopathy (releasing chemicals that inhibit other plants' growth) and disrupts mycorrhizal fungi networks.
Identification tips
- 1Heart-shaped lower leaves with scalloped margins on first-year rosettes
- 2Triangular to kidney-shaped upper leaves on flowering stems
- 3Small white 4-petaled flowers in April–May
- 4Crushed leaves emit strong garlic odor
- 5Long narrow seed pods (siliques) on second-year plants
Specimen & preservation notes
Collect freely — removal is encouraged. Press full flowering stem with roots. Good specimen for showing invasive species.
Collection calendar
| Wk | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 |
Collection notes
Season check
Guide window matches observed bloom.
Flowering records: 660 iNaturalist observations, Massachusetts · Nearby: 2504 observations within 25 km