Flora of the Southeastern United States

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