Nebraskaland

Nebraskaland May 2020

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1243260

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40 Nebraskaland • May 2020 orel mushroom hunters will know this plant: Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a biennial, is one of the fi rst signs of green-up in Missouri River woodlands. This low-lying plant prefers moist soils, shade and limited sun, and while its heart-shaped leaves might look inviting during the bareness of early spring, garlic mustard is highly invasive. It outcompetes native plants and threatens the biodiversity of our woodland ecosystems. Distribution The story of how garlic mustard arrived to the New World is similar to that of other invasive plants. Early European settlers brought garlic mustard to North America primarily for food and medicine, and fi nding conditions exceedingly favorable, the species escaped from gardens, thrived and spread uncontrollably. Today, garlic mustard has spread over practically all of northeastern and midwestern United States. Garlic Mustard The Invasion of Story and photos by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley M Garlic mustard seedlings are one of the fi rst signs of spring in Missouri River woodlands. Morel mushroom hunters may recognize the scalloped, heart-shaped leaves.

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