A new, excited gardener wrote to me about goutweed, also known as ground elder or bishop’s weed, which is a tough customer. I had goutweed growing under cedars and along my fenceline about 20 years ago, in Maple Ridge.
It likes to be in shady places, and some ornamental types are really pretty. The leaves are medium green with white edges. I actually quite liked it as a native decorative plant, but then I never tried to eradicate it. That’s where love can turn to hate in a big hurry. Advertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Ground elder, with the scientific name aegopodium podagraria, is a perennial weed that can quickly take over a garden if left unchecked. This invasive plant spreads aggressively via underground rhizomes and is notoriously difficult to control. However, with persistence and the right techniques, it is possible to get rid of ground elder organically without resorting to chemical herbicides.
What Makes Ground Elder So Difficult to Remove
There are a few key characteristics of ground elder that enable it to spread rapidly and evade removal efforts:
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Underground rhizomes – The plant spreads primarily through horizontal rhizomes growing just below the soil surface. Even tiny root fragments left behind can generate new growth.
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Fast growing – Ground elder emerges early in spring and forms dense mats that outcompete other plants. It continues growing late into fall.
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Brittle roots – The roots easily snap when pulled, making manual removal tricky. It’s easy to leave bits behind.
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Shallow roots – Roots grow just below the surface, so plants can bypass barriers and mulches meant to block growth.
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Seeds prolifically – Mature plants produce thousands of seeds that spread the infestation.
Organic Ways to Remove Ground Elder
Completely removing ground elder requires diligence and repeated effort over several years A multi-pronged approach works best Methods to try include
Digging
Carefully digging out roots by hand is effective if done thoroughly. Use a fork to loosen soil and trace back rhizomes to remove entire root systems. Be sure to shake off soil and remove every piece. Repeat digging sessions through the season to catch new growth. Over time plants will weaken and die off.
Smothering
Covering areas with cardboard topped with 4-6 inches of mulch or compost deprives ground elder of light needed for photosynthesis. Maintain the cover for at least a full year Suppressing growth allows desired plants to regain territory
Solarizing
Solarization uses the sun’s power to heat soil under clear plastic sheeting. Temperatures hot enough to kill plants and seeds are achieved when done for at least 6-8 weeks in full sun during summer. This technique is less labor intensive than digging.
Outcompeting
Vigorous plants like comfrey, lemon balm, mint, and certain grasses can eventually choke out ground elder when densely planted. But they require ample space and can become aggressive in their own right.
Frequent Mowing/Cutting
Repeatedly mowing or cutting back growth to the ground will weaken and eventually kill ground elder. But plants may need cutting every 2-3 weeks in the growing season for 1-2 years.
Eating
The leaves, shoots and roots are edible, but harvesting enough to impact an infestation would be extremely difficult. While nibbling a few leaves can satisfy curiosity, it won’t solve the problem.
When All Else Fails: Targeted Herbicide
For severe infestations, many gardeners resort to using glyphosate or other systemic herbicides to kill ground elder. This is often the quickest and most effective solution, but eliminates desirable plants too. Minimize harm by carefully targeting only ground elder and avoiding plant roots. Always follow label directions exactly.
Be Patient and Persistent
Completely eliminating ground elder organically takes time and repeated effort. But with a steady multi-year campaign of digging, cutting back, and smothering, you can reclaim your garden from this assertive invader. Careful monitoring and quick action against new growth are key to getting ahead of ground elder. Expect setbacks, but with persistence the results will come!
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Gayle Nelson writes:
I am a newbie Gardner and avid reader of your column and blog. I saw this invasive plant getting into all the cracks and crevices of my healthy trees, grasses, and plants last year. It’s such a good enemy that I almost want to respect it, but I can’t believe how fast it grows. It smothers everything in its path, and now it’s even moving into the lawn. It has long, white runners with a pink- red root ball.
I just can’t get deep enough or fast enough to get it over the many runners it sends out. I’m stumped…. What the heck is it, and how do I send it packing? (My new hobby of gardening is getting beat up!)
On Gayle’s behalf, I consulted the experts at the UBC Botanical Garden. Douglas Justice teaches in the landscape architectureprogram and is the curator of collections for the botanical garden. Douglas responds, thusly:
Aegopodium podagraria. Pernicious as hell. Copious seeds and elastic rhizomes. Tolerates any kind of soil and full sun to heavy shade. Drought tolerant in deep soil. Only need a tiny rhizome piece to start a whole new colony. Dig it out and the roots go deeper. Very frustrating.
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Like other aggressive runners, extraction/elimination requires wholesale (though not necessary permanent) change to the affected area. Two things that might work are turning the area into turf for three years or using a lot of mulch (20 to 30 cm deep) made of leaf mold, chips, or anything else.
If nearby plants aren’t woody and pretty big, they should be pulled up, cleaned well, and either thrown away or planted somewhere else. Of course, this has to be done when the plants are dormant. Goutweed rhizomes will move to a higher level if you mulch deeply. If you keep the mulch loose, it will be easy to pull out, but you have to be very careful. A maintained sward of good turf (start with sod, not seed) will starve/exhaust/prevent regrowth. After three years, the rhizomes will be completely dead, but seedlings may be a problem when the area is turned back into a planting bed.
Otherwise, the plants are apparently “medicinal” and the new shoots edible.
I also received a response from the UBC Botanical Garden Hortline:
Indeed, “goutweed” is a real challenge to remove. As Douglas said, it’s important to get rid of any goutweed roots that are still on your plants. These roots grow back quickly, so even if you dig them up and put them somewhere else in your garden, they will soon send out new shoots. I got rid of a small patch of goutweed in my vegetable garden by digging down 2 1/2 feet and pulling out all the roots and plants. I then covered the area with black plastic and let it lie empty for 6 months. After six months I brought in new soil and re-planted. After 2 years there has been no return of goutweed. Advertisement 4Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content.
As a side note, solarizing is the best way I’ve found to get rid of really tough weed problems. Cover the area with a sheet of black plastic and let the sun cook everything.
Randy Shore is the author of Grow What You Eat, Eat What You Grow, a guide to growing and cooking sustainably. More than 130 recipes using whole, fresh ingredients!
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How to remove Ground Elder – Bishops Weed – Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) using SoilWand
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