# Is this Garlic mustard?



## jeepgrrl (Jun 3, 2020)

Hi all,

I just wanted to see if this plant is garlic mustard? My goat kids found some growing under a tree and I wanted to ID it before letting them eat it. I found similar images online, so hopefully I’m on track.
















Sorry the images are sideways, I don’t know why the orientation flipped.


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am NOT an expert, but the iNaturalist app says it is garlic mustard.

“Garlic mustard is a very invasive weed. The roots exude a chemical that is inhibit other plants from growing, and it can grow in full sun or full shade, making it a threat to a wide variety of our native plants and habitats. Each plant can produce up to 5000 seeds which remain viable in the soil for five years or more. All of these traits allow garlic mustard, once established in an area, to rapidly reproduce and spread, excluding native and landscaping plants while spreading quickly across the landscape.”


----------



## Paumon (Jul 12, 2007)

jeepgrrl said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I just wanted to see if this plant is garlic mustard? My goat kids found some growing under a tree and I wanted to ID it before letting them eat it. I found similar images online, so hopefully I’m on track.
> View attachment 97030
> ...


Yes, that's definitely garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) and I can tell from the sharpness of the toothy margins that yours is in it's biennial second stage when it produces the most fertile seeds. Your goats can safely eat it since the whole plant is edible. You can eat it too, but the fresh new leaves are best since the more the leaves mature, the more bitter they become. The very sweetest part of the plant is the stem. 

Hopefully they'll eat all of it and get rid of it before any of it goes to seed because you do NOT want that stuff spreading on your property. It's a terribly invasive biennial plant and once it gets a hold on your property it will inhibit and displace everything else that grows. So whatever the goats don't eat now should be pulled up entirely (don't leave any roots behind). Don't let any seeds go into your compost pile either (if you have one) because the seeds can survive the heat of a compost pile and then get spread to the garden areas from the compost.

If you want it for future cooking purposes what you could do is pull it all up (roots and all) and hang up bunches to dry and then store it away so you'll have it as a dried garlicy bitter culinary herb for flavouring roasting meats and in soups, stews, etc. 

.


----------



## 67drake (May 6, 2020)

That stuff is everywhere around my area.
There was just an article in the local paper last week about it taking over, and how to eat it, if desired.


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Yes, it is garlic mustard. I just pulled a bunch a few days ago.


----------



## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

I've never known this plant in my area. But taking a walk down my road I noticed some! I knew I had to pluck it. I resisted in front of one trailer as I knew they were home but hope to be back before it seeds. I noticed another patch even closer to my house in the ditch and pulled up all of those.

I have no idea where they came from, all close to the road in two separate small patches.


----------



## jeepgrrl (Jun 3, 2020)

altair said:


> I've never known this plant in my area. But taking a walk down my road I noticed some! I knew I had to pluck it. I resisted in front of one trailer as I knew they were home but hope to be back before it seeds. I noticed another patch even closer to my house in the ditch and pulled up all of those.
> 
> I have no idea where they came from, all close to the road in two separate small patches.


I don't remember seeing it on our property before either, but then again I didn't have goats before this year so I wasn't really observant of weeds, they just got mowed down by the tractor. The goaties already took care of the few that were growing in their pasture. I just love goats!!! 🐐


----------



## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

Good to know they like it! I also love goats for that reason.


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

This property was full of garlic mustard plants when we moved in. After 30 years of pulling it, it is finally under control.


----------

