*Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieberstein) Cavara & Grande. Common name: Garlic Mustard, Hedge Garlic. Phenology: Apr-Jun; May-Jun. Habitat: Moist forests in bottomlands and on slopes. Distribution: Native of Europe. This species has become a noxious weed in ne. United States, invading undisturbed moist forests. Fernald (1950) describes it as "roadsides, open woods, and near habitations, local". Dhillion & Anderson (1999) report on physiological characteristics that make Alliaria a successful invader in shaded situations.
ID notes: Fresh plant smelling strongly garlicky.
Origin/Endemic status: Europe
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, FNA7, GrPl, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, Tn, Va, W, Al-Shehbaz (1988b), Rollins (1993), Stace (2021); = Alliaria officinalis Andrz. ex DC. – F, G; = n/a – Tat
Links to other floras: = Alliaria petiolata - FNA7
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
- Great Plains: FACU
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FACU
Heliophily ⓘ: 4
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, colony-forming biennial of moist forests in bottomlands and on slopes. Native of Europe.
Stems: Stems simple or branching (sometimes from base), hairy or smooth; consists only of a basal rosette of leaves the first year.
Leaves: Basal leaves long-petiolate, rounded to kidney-shaped, to 4 in. long, scallop-edged to coarsely toothed; stem leaves alternate, petiolate (petioles reduced upward), triangular, 1-3 in. long, coarsely toothed. All leaves have prominently incised veins.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in short, dense terminal racemes, which elongate as flowers and fruit develop; white, 1/4-1/2 in. wide, consisting of 4 spreading, oblong petals.
Fruits: Fruit an erect-ascending, green, linear-cylindric pod.
Comments: Leaves and stem exude odor of garlic when crushed. A highly invasive weed in moist forests, where it aggressively outcompetes native species.
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, colony-forming biennial of moist forests in bottomlands and on slopes. Native of Europe.
stems: Stems simple or branching (sometimes from base), hairy or smooth; consists only of a basal rosette of leaves the first year.
leaves: Basal leaves long-petiolate, rounded to kidney-shaped, to 4 in. long, scallop-edged to coarsely toothed; stem leaves alternate, petiolate (petioles reduced upward), triangular, 1-3 in. long, coarsely toothed. All leaves have prominently incised veins.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in short, dense terminal racemes, which elongate as flowers and fruit develop; white, 1/4-1/2 in. wide, consisting of 4 spreading, oblong petals.
fruits: Fruit an erect-ascending, green, linear-cylindric pod.
comments: Leaves and stem exude odor of garlic when crushed. A highly invasive weed in moist forests, where it aggressively outcompetes native species.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: Europe