Garlic Mustard and new Swamp White Oaks

I still have not pinned down a date for when Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) first appears.

Garlic Mustard near the old Blue Ford river crossing

The leaves, flowers and fruits are apparently edible, providing a flavor of both garlic and mustard. I've read that it induces swaeting and is helpful for respiratory problems, ulcers and gangrine.  You won't get such recommendations from me - I like my medicines and their dosages clinically tested.  But like many other invasive plants, I do wish someone would declare them to be aphrodisiacs or an ingredient of eternal youth, because trying to clear a woodlot of Garlic Mustard is tiring and boring.  And you need to do it completely for five years in a row to exhaust the seed bank.

Later I'll post a photo of a mature plant with seeds.  They're actually very easy to pull, as the roots come right out without any special pulling technique.  If seeds are present, you'll need to remove them from the woods.  I burn them, although I've read that some believe composting heat kills the seeds of many weeds.

Here's a photo (left) of a remarkably resilient Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) that was able to leaf out and flower even with bird and presumably insect damage to its bark on a broken branch hanging straight down.


The photo below shows a few Swamp White Oaks (Quercus bicolor) germinated from acorns stored haphazardly over the winter.

Diane's successful Swamp White Oak germination.