Alliaria petiolata
garlic mustard, hedge garlic, Jack-by-the-edge
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA
Family: Brassicaceae · Type: Herb
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard, hedge garlic, Jack-by-the-edge) is a California herb in the Brassicaceae family.
Garlic mustard is a naturalized biennial herb found in disturbed areas, roadsides, and forest edges across much of northern California and the coastal ranges at elevations near sea level to 500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces small white flowers approximately 6 to 8 millimeters wide with four distinctive petals arranged in cross-like clusters. Growing 30 to 100 centimeters tall with slender, upright branching stems that are pubescent and light green, it develops multiple stems from a single taproot. Its alternate leaves are broadly triangular to heart-shaped, 3 to 10 centimeters long, with coarsely toothed edges and a distinctive garlic-like odor when crushed. When mature, the plant produces slender, elongated seed pods (siliques) that spread seeds widely, contributing to its successful invasion of disturbed habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Differentiators are not available at this time.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
Differentiators are not available at this time.
Frequently asked questions
What plant family does Alliaria petiolata belong to?
Alliaria petiolata is in the Brassicaceae family, genus Alliaria.
Is Alliaria petiolata invasive in California?
Alliaria petiolata is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.