Family: Brassicaceae, Mustard view all from this family

Description Introduced. An erect, invasive plant, sometimes slightly branched, with kidney-shaped to triangular leaves and white flowers clustered at stem tips.
Flowers: About 1/4" (6 mm) long; petals 4.
Leaves: 1-6" (2.5-15 cm) long, long-stalked, toothed; exude a garlic odor when crushed.
Fruit: Many-seeded, narrow pod, 1-2 1/2" (2.5-6.5 cm) long.
Height: 1-3' (30-90 cm).

Flower April-June.

Habitat Waste places and woods.

Range Ontario east to New Brunswick, south to Georgia, west through Tennessee to Oklahoma, and north to North Dakota; also in parts of West.

Discussion A biennial native to Europe, this species was first recorded in the United States in 1868 in New York. Spreading rapidly, it is now known in at least 38 states and four Canadian provinces. Especially invasive in forests, it can become so abundant as to dominate the ground layer, adversely affecting the native species. The garlic-flavored leaves are edible.