The Curse of Garlic Mustard

It is hard not to admire garlic mustard. It is incredibly hardy, deer resistant and a prolific spreader. Garlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant in the Mustard family, Brassicaceae. It is native to Europe. It has a garlic smell when the leaves are crushed. It grows to about 2 feet and has a cluster of white button like flowers. The leaves are heart shaped with toothed edges. The seed pods are mature in mid summer and can produce hundreds of seeds. Garlic mustard is a self seeder. This plant was introduced to the US in the mid-1800's as a culinary herb. The mild garlic flavor is delicious in pesto, salads, or chopped and tossed into soups.
Garlic mustard has an invasive species and crowds out other native woodland plants such as trillium or wild ginger. It is also detrimental to the white butterfly (Pieris virginiensis). Several species of spring wildflowers known as toothworts, also in the mustard family, are the primary food source for the caterpillar stage of this butterfly. Invasions of garlic mustard are edging out toothworts, and the chemicals in garlic mustard appear to be toxic to the eggs of the butterfly.

The best way to remove garlic mustard in small areas is to hand pull it being careful to remove the root. Mowing is another option. You can mow the garlic mustard when the plant is young in early spring before the seed pods develop. Round up is also effective but will kill everything around it as well. I have chosen to hand pull my infestations and then burn it in my fire pit. I am also eating it. It is quite delicious. Pick the tender younger leaves for munching on. To remove it from an area permanently I work in small sections at a time. If you choose to pull it out manually you may need to check every few weeks to be sure that it entirely gone. Seeds can last up to 5 years in the ground. Grr.


Here are some recipes if you want to eat it.

GARLIC MUSTARD PESTO

3 cups garlic mustard leaves, washed, patted dry, packed in measuring cup
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 cup walnuts
1 cup olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Romano cheese (or just use more parmesan)
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine garlic mustard leaves, garlic and walnuts in a food processor and chop. Or
You can divide the recipe in a half and use a blender. With motor running, add olive oil slowly.
Shut off motor. Add cheese, salt & pepper, and process briefly to combine. Scrape into
refrigerator container and cover.

This makes 2 cups, enough to use as sauce for 2 lbs. of pasta. It's good on crackers as an appetizer.


KEBABS

1 1/2 lb ground beef or lamb
2 cups chopped garlic leaves
1 onion finely chopped
salt/pepper to taste

Knead ingredients or place in a food processor to combine. Form meat mixture into 2 inch shaped footballs or mold onto a skewer and grill. Eat with salad and pita bread.