Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Friday - May 18, 2012

From: New Era, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Plant Identification
Title: Identification of plant resembling garlic mustard, but with purple flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

While searching for the invasive garlic mustard I am finding a very similar looking plant (triangular, alternate, toothed leaves; four petals, same habitat of shaded roadside and interior woods) except this plant has purple flowers and does not have a garlic odor when crushed. It is colonial, biennial, and exhibits a "C" curved root when pulled. It seems to be very abundant and forming colonies in areas of trilliums and Jack-in-the-Pulpits. Any advice as to the identity of this plant and whether or not it should be treated as invasive? Thank you.

ANSWER:

A likely possibility for the plant you are seeing that resembles Alliaria petiolata (Garlic mustard) is Hesperis matronalis (Dame's rocket) and it is considered invasive in some areas.  Here are more photos and information from the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide and from Missouri Botanical Garden.

You can see some native plants that are poosibilities by doing a search in our Native Plant Database.  Choose "Brassicaceae" from the list of Families.   When the list comes up use the NARROW YOUR SEARCH option to choose "Michigan" from the Select State or Province option and then "Pink", "Purple" and "Violet" from Bloom Color.

If neither Hesperis matronalis (Dame's rocket) nor any of the native plants in our Native Plant Database is the plant you have seen, please visit our Plant Identification page to find links to plant identification forums that accept photos for identification.

 

More Plant Identification Questions

ID of plant from florist in Moorestown NJ
November 21, 2009 - I recently purchased a cut stem from the local florist for an autumn flower arrangement. The leaves are very, very small and bamboo-like in looks. They are not oval and are 1/8 inches long. The bra...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
December 17, 2009 - For a few weeks now the front of our school has had an on and off smell that to some was like a dead animal. To others it smelled like dirty fish fry oil. Maintenance people came out and found the sou...
view the full question and answer

Plant identification
November 30, 2010 - I have had a plant for 37 years! It is a vine with leaves that grow in groups of three and they typically have 5 points. The leaves are dark green and shiny. I would love to know what this old friend ...
view the full question and answer

Plant ID from Bracketville TX
June 23, 2010 - A volunteer plant, 3 feet. 4 to 5 Dark green leaves from a central point, diamond shaped very serrated leaves with dark spots within the the leave. Stem is reddish. flowers are pinkish, small and clus...
view the full question and answer

Identification of stem from a bouquet
January 02, 2012 - I have a stem with leaves that came in a bouquet May 2011. They are still healthy in a vase of water tho they have no roots, just stem. On the back center of each leaf are protrusions half an inch lon...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.