Garlic Mustard

Alliaria petiolata

Found in moist forests in bottomlands and on slopes. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85

Severe harm

Not native to Virginia. 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 Virginia.

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 67 Virginia 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

Regional / representative. Shown: Mountains of North and South Carolina; exact site not identified, a neighboring state.Shortia beneath rhododendrons in mountain woodland, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

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 Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 151 animals.

Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Blackburnian Warbler
Dendroica fusca
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Canada Warbler
Wilsonia canadensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Dendroica pensylvanica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Magnolia Warbler
Dendroica magnolia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 2 shared habitats
American Coot
Fulica americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
American Tree Sparrow
Spizella arborea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Gadwall
Anas strepera
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

—CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

—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

Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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