Plant Identification
Garlic mustard [Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara and Grande] is a member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae). It is a biennial, a plant with a two-year life cycle, growing its first year as a seedling and rosette stage plant and flowering the subsequent year. It most often grows in the forest understory or along forest edges but is also able to invade undisturbed forest habitats.
1st year plant
2nd year plant
How to Dispose of Wild Garlic Mustard in Cedar Rapids
To help prevent the spread of Wild Garlic Mustard, the Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling Division asks residents to keep the plants out of the YARDY cart. The composting process may not reach temperatures high enough to destroy the seeds, leading to further infestations.
When residents remove the plants they should be placed in a plastic bag and disposed of in the GARBY cart. If the bag will not fit in the GARBY cart, please follow the normal procedure for extra garbage by affixing an extra 1.50 garbage sticker and placing the bag next to the GARBY cart. If a yard waste bag is used, please affix a 1.50 sticker and clearly mark the bag as containing Wild Garlic Mustard, so our crews can dispose of it properly.