Garlic mustard prefers shade areas. Garlic mustard is a native species to Europe that was introduced by early settlers. This plant is a biennial, meaning it has a two-year life cycle. When the leaves are crushed, they have a distinct garlic smell. The plant grows quickly in spring and produces clusters of small, four-petalled white flowers.
Flowers develop into narrow seed capsules or pods.
These capsules produce hundreds of seeds. Squirrels, deer, and humans walking through garlic mustard infested areas easily carry seeds. Garlic mustard spreads very rapidly. Controlling garlic mustard requires more than a one-year effort. It may take two to five years of control efforts to reduce the seed bank.