Hi Linda,

Thanks so much for your recent reports to the Oregon Invasives Hotline. The garlic mustard report is of particular concern. This is an extremely high priority for rapid response in Lane County. Would you be able to upload or email me some photos of the plants you saw so I can confirm this report as fast as possible? Is the site fairly easy to find? If you are unable to send photos then I will see if I can go check out the site in person. Thanks again for this report! We will follow up as fast as possible.

Happy Earth Day!
Tania


Tania Siemens
Invasive Species Early Detection and Rapid Response Coordinator
The Nature Conservancy
WISE Program Coordinator (Watershed and Invasive Species Education)
Oregon Sea Grant Extension
tania.siemens@oregonstate.edu
541-914-0701

Tania Siemens
April 23, 2011, 2:50 a.m.

Hi Linda,

Thanks so much for taking the time to send photos. I am also very pleased to let you know that the plant you reported is not garlic mustard, but rather the native plant Tellima grandiflora, or “fringe cup”. Its heart to kidney shaped leaves makes fringe cup a common garlic mustard “look-a-like”. Many many people confuse this species with garlic mustard. However, a distinguishing characteristic of the fringe cup are the presence of long hair, particularly on the leaf stems - which mature garlic mustard does not have. So, we can breathe a big sigh of relief this time. See this link for more photos of garlic mustard: http://www.forestryimages.org/search/action.cfm?q=Alliaria%20petiolata

The other plant you photographed has is also a common native look a like for garlic mustard. I believe it is Boykinia occidentalis, but I am not certain.

Your report is really great news because it tells me 1) we still have no reports of garlic mustard yet from Lane County, and 2) we have a very observant and caring weed watchers out there looking for garlic mustard, namely, YOU! Please do keep looking out for garlic mustard and other invasive species. It is very likely to show up, and we do need people to be looking. I’d rather have a false report then let an important infestation go unreported! So, keep up the good work!

You might also be aware of an upcoming workshop being put on by the Long Tom Watershed Council on the identification of early detection species? Garlic mustard will be covered, and we will have a live garlic mustard specimen available for you to look at. I’ve attached the flyer for the workshop in case you would like to come. Thanks again!!!

Tania


Tania Siemens
Invasive Species Early Detection and Rapid Response Coordinator
The Nature Conservancy
WISE Program Coordinator (Watershed and Invasive Species Education)
Oregon Sea Grant Extension
tania.siemens@oregonstate.edu
541-914-0701

Tania Siemens
April 28, 2011, 12:16 a.m.