Sherlock Solves Mystery!

~Gardener on Sherlock Street asked me, 
Could your mystery plant be the one shown on Margaret's site: http://awaytogarden.com/what-weed-is-it-putting-names-to-pesky-plants?  
...this is the one in our flower bed...
At first, I thought the leaves on my plant were more pointed than the one on Margaret's site.  
But after checking out images of garlic mustard on the internet, I was quite sure that's what it is!  
After smelling it, I KNOW that's what it is!
Gardener on Sherlock Street certainly lives up to her name!  Thanks, my friend! 
Garlic mustard is an herbaceous, biennial forb that is an aggressive invader of wooded areas throughout the eastern and middle United States. First-year plants are basal rosettes with green, heart-shaped, 1-6 in. (2.5-15.2 cm) long leaves. Second-year plants produce a 1-4 ft. (0.3-1.2 m) tall flowering stalk with small, white flowers in the early spring. Plants can be easily recognized by a garlic odor that is present when any part of the plant is crushed and by the strongly toothed, triangular leaves. A high shade tolerance allows this plant to invade high-quality, mature woodlands, where it can form dense stands. These stands not only shade out native understory flora but also produce allelopathic compounds that inhibit seed germination of other species. Garlic mustard is native to Europe and was first introduced into New England during the 1800s for medicinal and culinary purposes.  (http://www.invasive.org/browse/subinfo.cfm?sub=3005)
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6 comments:

  1. MariMay 11, 2011 at 3:06 AM

    I just heard from someone else about this weed. He said he has it near his house and if he lets it go, it grows like crazy! Glad you found out what it was though.

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  2. Gardener on Sherlock StreetMay 11, 2011 at 9:39 AM

    You are quite welcome! It was almost like it found me. Hope you get it under control.

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  3. creekside rummagerMay 11, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    How interesting. Being from the west coast I've never seen it or even heard of it. It is a beautiful plant. The invasive part isn't so good.

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  4. RebeccaMay 11, 2011 at 10:29 AM

    I'm thinking mine must be a 2nd year plant. It was the only one that I am aware of. It "is" no longer!

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  5. Leaon MaryMay 11, 2011 at 7:33 PM

    wow... way to go Gardener on sherlock street!
    Well Rebecca... it was pretty... but Im with you... thee invasive part would have been my goodbye as well. lol I have bamboo I'm trying to get rid of too. Oh for the regret I have of ever planting bamboo!

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  6. UnknownMay 12, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    I've not seen garlic mustard before, why is it invasive plants can also be enjoyable? Not that I am suggesting planting or keeping it but I do like the way it looks.
    I won't grow it though, we have enough of our own pretty invasive plants in the PNW (butterfly bush).

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