Garlic Mustard, Second Controversial Neighbor

Garlic Mustard was one of the most dominant plants this 17th week of 2016, late April. You will see it everywhere on your walks

Garlic Mustard,white four petal flower,heart-shaped leaf with  toothed margins.

close-up of the flowers, there tend to be patches of plants rather than these single specimens.

now that it is in bloom.  Last fall it seemed just a oddity. But these would be second year plants growing from last fall basal rosettes. It is another plant with pros and cons.  It is popular with foragers but considered invasive by ecologists and gardeners.

One of the oldest known spices, found in 8000 year old cooking remains, it is said to have properties of both garlic and mustard.  Sensitivity to the taste and smell varies, I get a fairly mild taste while others in the family find it too strong. The foraging references note salads, sauces and pesto as options.

On the other hand, being a European native it does not have natural enemies here so grows more vigorously.  The plant produces allelochemicals, cyanides,which suppress the growth of competing plants.   Various compounds, glycosides, make it less tasty for deer, so by eating competing plants and disturbing the soil garlic mustard is favored by deer browsing. It is in the mustard family like the bittercress and will produce saliques with hundreds of seeds. Hand-pulling is suggested for control but the central white root can be deep.  Seeds survive up to five years so control has to be continuous.

Hairy (exploding) Bittercress, Trick or Treat?

We were only back for a couple of days when we found out about the controversial new neighbors.  This is the first, winter bittercress, popping bittercress, or hairy bittercress.  On one hand it's an interesting show, the popping seeds, on the other hand the seeds spread three to six feet and the plant becomes invasive.

From Dave's Garden:  A Brassicaceae, blooms all year, self-pollinating and grows well in moist soil.  The small flowers vary in color from white to pink or lavender.  Each plant has a six week life cycle, but the exploded seeds germinate quickly and start a new larger colony. It can be introduced from nurseries.  He suggests hand weeding rather than chemicals.

On the other hand the exploding seeds should impress kids of all ages, as a light touch sends then flying.  As they dry they will explode anyway so feel free to touch the plants near our mailbox, then we will see  the result over the next few months. There is a Youtube video in slow motion.

Shown is the mature grass-like plant, the tips are the sensitive area, and then the rosette at the base of a younger plant,paired opposite leaflets with a single large leaflet at the tip.   A few feet up the driveway is a younger plant, ready for kids in a few days.  Elsewhere in the neighborhood you are on your own, touch the plant or pull it up. Being in the mustard family the young leaves have a pepper taste, not tried since these were all near the road with unknown chemical history.  A European native, the invasive reputation means they could be harvested freely.

The view of mature plant,brown grassy tips(siliques) are the popping seeds.

rosette of an earlier plant,