[MAIPC] The Garlic Monster - Third Year Adults and Beyond.

[Ellis, Michael]

As we begin to wrap up our Garlic Mustard season, I've become fascinated by the resiliency of the species.

I'm seeing tremendous numbers of garlic mustard adults surviving into a third year if their stems were broken off in the year prior. Their wounds simply heal, their roots become massive and they sprout new stems and seeds.

Here is a photo I took today in Beltsville of a specimen that survived our great Garlic Mustard pull of 2014, healed, and re-emerged:

[cid:013A105E-AA0C-4ED5-9151-71C0079B23EF]

Would this not imply that these plants can come up again, possibly a fourth of fifth year if seeding was unsuccessful?

This has me wondering if plants could bounce back after damage from say, an introduced biological control.

Any thoughts?

Michael Ellis
Non-Native Invasive Plant Specialist
Natural and Historical Resources Division, Park Ranger Office
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
www.pgparks.com<http://www.pgparks.com>

240-429-5042<tel:240-429-5042>

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