Invasive Plant Reaches Holliston, Threatens Local Vegetation

Garlic mustard, a weed notorious in the MidWest for choking out plants and wildflowers, has been popping up in large patches around Holliston for the first time this spring. 

Diane Crefeld, a member of the town's garden club, said pulling the weed from backyards and along trails is a necessity for stopping its spread. 

“You deal with it now, or you're really going to deal with it later. It's threatening native species of both plants and animals because animals can't eat it," Crefeld said. 

Crefeld recommend disposing of pulled garlic mustard in sealed bags to avoid spreading the plant's seeds.

A large patch of the weed has rooted itself on the corner of Exchage Street and Railroad Street, which presents a further challenge as animals and people can spread the plant's seeds, according to Crefeld. 

"The one good thing about garlic mustard is it's easy to pull, at least we have that," Crefeld said.