PORTLAND -- A noxious weed is invading local neighborhoods, parks and forests. It's called garlic mustard and it's threatening Oregon's native habitat.

Some communities, cities, park districts are taking an aggressive approach to get a handle on the invasive weed.

The unique green plant with white flowers caught Elizabeth Marantz's eye on her daily walks in the Arnold Creek neighborhood and at home.

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Once garlic mustard begins to grow, it emits a chemical that makes it impossible for just about any native species to grow in the soil.

"I first found it growing in my own garden," Marantz said.

Little did she know, garlic mustard had invaded her garden. It's roots secrete a toxic chemical that prevents other plants from growing.

So, Marantz recently spearheaded a grassroots effort to uproot garlic mustard from her neighborhood. Dozens of volunteers came to help for two weekends.

Homeowners chose to pull a mile of the weeds instead of having the City of Portland spray it with an herbicide.

What does garlic mustard look like? In it's first year, the form is a green basal rosette of kidney-shaped, scalloped leaves, and then an elongated flower stalk in the second yeat. If it goes untreated it can grow as tall as three to four feet.

"Garlic mustards ability to spread is really remarkable the seeds are coming down a lot on our tributaries with the flow," said Peter Guillozet with Clean Water Services.

His job is to eradicate garlic mustard in the Tualatin Basin.

Local agencies are teaming up to remove thousands of acres of garlic mustard. But know it's a fight against a determined invader.

"Nothing's off limits for garlic mustard. It will grow in people's yards and in Oregon's forest," said Guillozet.

As for Marantz and her neighbors, they're ready to their hands dirty again before garlic mustard becomes the next English Ivy.

If you spot garlic mustard, contact your city. Most will have someone come by and spray the weed. More: Garlic mustard help

If you plan to pull out the weed experts say put it in a garbage bag. Many cities have special dumpsters where you can drop off the bags.

Do not throw the garlic mustard in a compost bin.