Garlic Mustard, Alliaria officinalis, Naturalized Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, Invasive

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Garlic Mustard	Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb.) Cavara & Grande	Mustard	Woodland and Upland	Spring
Other names and notes	Found in both the Woodland and Upland Gardens. This plant is an officially designated invasive species. It is subject to continuous removal work in the Garden and the Garden surrounds. It flowers very early in spring and produces huge quantities of seeds which can lie dormant for years. It is biennial, flowering the second year. the lower leaves are conspicuously heart shaped.


Plants can flower as early as late April and surpass in height anything else at that early date.	Above: Characteristic Mustard family seed pods already forming while some flowers are still in bloom.

Above: Typical Garlic Mustard plants, each stem an individual plant, they branch only near the top. Above right: Notice the height of the plants in early May in an area where volunteers are about to begin removal. Both photos by Melissa Hansen.

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33. Distribution principally from W2 and also 30, 33 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4, 11. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

©2008-2010 Friends of the Wild Flower Garden, Inc. All photos are the property of The Friends of the Wild Flower Garden unless otherwise credited. Web: "http://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org"

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