If you've ever spotted a plant with jagged leaves and small white flowers growing along a trail or in your yard, you might've found garlic mustard — and one expert is encouraging people to pull it out before it spreads.

In a recent Instagram Reel, Green Venture (@green_venture) gives a quick rundown of how to identify and remove garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a fast-spreading invasive plant originally brought over from Europe as a cooking herb. Now, it's taking over forests and gardens across North America.

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The video points out that garlic mustard is easy to spot thanks to its serrated leaves and clusters of tiny white flowers. The caption explained that "A single plant can carry up to 10,000 seeds." And those seeds can quickly take over an area if left alone.

The good news? Getting rid of it is simple. Just grab the plant firmly at the base and pull it straight out, making sure to get the whole root. You can also use a small garden tool if it's stubborn. Once removed, the plant should go in the trash and not the compost, so the seeds don't spread.

Invasive plants like garlic mustard can be a real problem because they crowd out native plants, making it harder for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to find food. And since pollinators are key to our food supply, what happens in our yards affects all of us.

One great way to help? Rewilding your yard by swapping parts of your lawn for native plants or ground covers like clover lawn or buffalo grass. These options are easier to maintain, use less water, and support a healthier environment. Even a small change can make a big difference. Learn how to rewild your yard here.

Plenty of users in the comments were already on it. 

"We've been pulling it on walks!" one user wrote. 

Another said, "Okay, I was going to ask in a gardening group—I'll start pulling it out."

It's a small step, but it's one more way we can all pitch in to keep our local ecosystems healthy.

What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time ⏳ Not enough space 🤏 It seems too hard 😬 I have a garden already 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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