Lookout

I've been hunkered down in the backyard lately. The invasives are emerging, while the natives are a bit behind. That makes invasive ID really simple. Plus if you can get rid of them now, the good plants will have room to grown. If you leave these guys to grow, they crowd out other species.

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) - Remove root and all, bag it, throw it away. Do you see that other shaped leaf underneath ('north' part) of the plant. That's a native Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) that won't make it if the motherwort has its way.


Baby garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)- So, its conceivable that all these babies came from one mommy plant last season. Maybe a mommy and her friend.



That's a nasty #@& stickseed (Hackelia virginiana) in the center. To its left is a more mature garlic mustard, with a rosette of leaves coming from a main purpleish stem. Use a dandelion weeder tool to help you remove the whole tap root, bag it, and throw it.


Don't confuse violet with garlic mustard. Violets have heart shaped leaves while the mustards are rounded. Also the stems of violet leaves all emerge from the ground, whereas leaves on the garlic mustard are all stuck to that main stem. Really good garlic mustard hand out.