Publication select ▼
Garlic mustard is an invasive plant that has a garlic smell and can be identified by its four heart-shape leaves, scalloped edges and white flower. Pulling it by the root is important to stop its spread.
Photo provided by West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation
WEST BLOOMFIELD — Garlic mustard is an invasive plant that can be detrimental to nearby plant and wildlife if allowed to spread.
According to Lauren Azoury, a park naturalist supervisor for the West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Department, pulling out the plant by the root is the best way to stop it.
“It is absolutely an invasive species, and just as the name implies, it is an invader. It is so extreme that it sends a chemical message out to the other plants in the area that reduces or stops the other species’ growth,” Azoury said. “(It is) eliminating our biodiversity of plants that are native and useful to all the insects and the other animals in our current ecosystem in Michigan.”
The plant comes from Europe. However, in Michigan, part of its invasiveness is there are no animals that eat the plant and reduce it.
By pulling the plant from its base, “You will see the impact over time,” she said. “But the impact may not be seen after the first year.”
Digging is not recommended, said Azoury.
“The more you disturb the ground, the more the (garlic mustard) will thrive,” she said.
Garlic mustard is biennial, which requires two years to complete its lifecycle. The leaves are heart-shaped with scalloping around the edges during the first year, but during the second year, the plant returns with a four-petal white flower and leaves that are triangular with toothed edges. Some people think the flower is “pretty” and don’t want to remove them.
According to Azoury, there are not many invasive specials that can be reduced by just pulling them, but garlic mustard is one species that can be stopped this way.
Miriam William, 16, of West Bloomfield, organized a garlic pull to benefit the outdoor community she loves. The avid bird watcher spends much of her time outdoors.
“When I’m spending all of my time in the woods, I’m noticing all of the garlic mustard that is taking over and not letting other more native plants grow,” William said. “It inspired me to put something together to try and help the woods that I use.”
Monica William, Miriam’s mom, said the first step was to reach out to the West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Department, because the woods belong to the West Bloomfield Woods Nature Preserve.
“We wanted them to give us their blessing to do it,” Monica William said.
After getting the OK to do the pull, Miriam William then gathered a crew of about 10 people consisting of family, friends and neighbors, and made a three-hour trek into the preserve located at 4655 Arrowhead Road.
Together, they pulled enough garlic mustard to fill 15 large trash bags. The group focused on areas such as the backyards backing up to the woods, and where streets ended in cul-de-sacs.
“Parks and Rec told us to put the (pulled garlic mustard) in black garbage bags, because if we put them in white garbage bags the sunlight could still get in, and the garlic mustard could still keep growing even after it was pulled out of the ground,” Miriam William said.
Azoury advises not to compost this invasive plant because it can grow in other places. Miriam William was instructed where to leave the bags so the parks and recreation staff could pick up the bags and properly dispose of it.
“It was a really nice chance to meet some new neighbors and get to know some other folks that care about the land we were working on,” Monica William said.
After pulling garlic mustard or hiking through areas where it grows, Azoury recommends brushing off boots and shoes, so as to not spread seeds to other areas.
Miriam plans to have another garlic pull next year. Garlic mustard can still be seen and pulled through the end of June.
You May Also Be Interested In
