Watch Out for Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a biennial plant native to Europe that was first documented in Oregon in 1959 in Multnomah County. The impacts of garlic mustard include displacing native forest understory species, reducing diversity, and decreasing forage availability for native wildlife. Garlic mustard is a priority for control due to its ability to quickly invade habitats and alter soil chemistry.

Garlic Mustard flowering (Photo from Glenn Miller, Oregon Department of Agriculture)

Garlic mustard rosettes form by midsummer the first year, overwinter, then bloom April through June the second year. The key to controlling garlic mustard is to remove infestations early in the spring before the plants go to seed. Pulling garlic mustard is best when the soil is moist and it has just started flowering. Make sure you pull at the base of the plant to get all the roots out and place all pulled garlic mustard in bags and dispose of them with your trash. Do not place garlic mustard plants in the compost!

Garlic Mustard Rosette (Photo from Tualatin SWCD)

Report it! If you find garlic mustard in or adjacent to streams, parks, or natural areas in Oregon please report it to the Oregon Invasive Species Hotline.

Find tips on identifying, treating, and removing garlic mustard from your landscape by watching this informative video from West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District.

For more information, check out these additional resources:

• Oregon Department of Agriculture Weed Profile: Garlic Mustard PDF

• 4-County CWMA Garlic Mustard Brochure

• West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District: Garlic Mustard Containment

• Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District: Garlic Mustard Information

Information in this post was gathered from resources made available by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, 4-County Cooperative Weed Management Area, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, and Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District.

ICYMI: Fall 2017 PNW Garlic Mustard Working Group

On November 9th, the Pacific Northwest Garlic Mustard Working Group held their Fall 2017 meeting in Portland. Topics of discussion included Regional Survey Strategies to Detect New Populations & Management Gaps, Improving Prevention Strategies, and Data & Mapping Centralization. Additionally, both OISC and WISC Coordinators were in attendance and discussed the two Council's collaboration opportunities. 

The Pacific Northwest Garlic Mustard Working Group is a collaboration between invasive plant managers and field staff working on surveying and control of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. Together, by sharing observations, identifying challenges and discussing survey and treatment strategies, the working group enhances the collective understanding of garlic mustard impacts and solutions across the region. Developing a platform for collaboration promotes timely sharing of key information and supports a region-wide effort to contain and decrease garlic mustard presence in the Pacific Northwest.