Garlic Mustard

Alliaria petiolata

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in moist forests in bottomlands and on slopes. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85

Severe harm

Not native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 71%

Height: Mature plants produce erect flowering stems up to 4.13 feet high [15].
Light: Deep shade, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Alliaria petiolata — flower photograph — (c) Quinten Wiegersma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Arkansas.

At a glance

Life cycle: Biennial
Bloom: April to June
Fruiting season: May to June

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 4 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Arkansas. Shared habitat, not food. 143 animals.

Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora pinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Ground-dove
Columbina passerina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Gadwall
Anas strepera
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Golden-winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Gallinule
Porphyrio martinica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Sora
Porzana carolina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wilson's Warbler
Wilsonia pusilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Arkansas

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

—CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Alliaria

Andrena arabis

Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Brassicaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–8b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: White
Fruit begins: May
Fruit ends: June

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “White” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “May” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “Mature plants produce erect flowering stems up to 4.13 feet (1.25 m) high [15].” · Fire Effects Information System: Alliaria petiolata (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs) · Source botanical description; original units and scope retained
Life cycle · “Biennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Arkansas rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
AR status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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