What's That Invasive: Garlic Mustard

Wondering if that plant in your backyard is invasive? The Master Gardener Volunteers of Columbia and Greene Counties can help find out! Check out all of our "What's that Invasive" video series for information on individual plants.
History: Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) was brought to the U.S. by early colonists who used it as a medicinal and culinary herb. The first reports were in Long Island in 1868.
Problem: Garlic mustard is extremely invasive and a threat to our woodlands. In the past 150 years, it has spread throughout the mid-west, NYS, and into Canada.
What does garlic mustard look like? Garlic mustard is a biennial plant with a two-year life cycle. First-year plants have low-growing rosettes of kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. These remain semi-evergreen throughout the winter. The second year, it sends up a flower stem with triangular toothed leaves that bears tiny white flowers with four petals. If you crush the leaves, they have a garlicky odor. The plant dies after producing long narrow seedpods. At maturity, garlic mustard plants maybe 3 to 4 ft. tall and bear up to 500 seeds per plant. The seeds are viable for approximately 5 years so try not to disturb the soil more than necessary
Removal: After a rain garlic mustard is easy to remove and 2nd-year plants with the flowers are a priority. On 1st and 2nd-year plants, be sure to remove all root matter. Make sure to put the plants in a heavy-duty black plastic bag as you remove them as the seed heads will continue to ripen if left in place. Bagged Plants can then be left in the sun for three weeks to decompose. Herbicides can also be used in early spring or late fall. Read and follow all label directions on any herbicide product. Removal is a multi-year project.
Follow this link to our website for information on the proper disposal methods for invasive plant matter as required by NYS. You will also find fact sheets and photographs.
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Glenda Berman Master Gardener Volunteer Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties, May 2020
Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities.

[@sadanimals]

Wth all due respect to your knowledge of invasive plants, the true menace in your video is your free roaming cat that could be killing 10-20 birds a day. Domestic cats that are free to roam are responsible for billions of bird deaths a year. Billions. Something as simple as a bell collar would help warn birds to fly away. Thank you.

[@JasonDunlop247]

Excellent point made about the cat!