Earth – Beginner to Expert page

Thank you for contacting the Growline [Cornell. Cooperative Extension Tompkins County]. I’m sorry to hear you have a goutweed infestation. Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria), aka Bishop’s weed and Snow-on-the-Mountain, was introduced from Europe and Northern Asia in the mid 1800s. In the middle ages, monks cultivated it for treating gout; hence the name. It thrives in moist, well drained soils in partial sun to full shade. The plant spreads by fast growing underground roots (rhizomes) as well as seeds.

Eradication of this plant takes persistence but can be done. First, remove any flower heads before the plant goes to seed to prevent seed production. Cut and bag the flowers.

There are several additional strategies you could employ:

Here are some links to web pages and videos that explain how to get rid of goutweed.

Aegopodium podagraria, commonly called ground elder, is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family Apiaceae that grows in shady places. The name “ground elder” comes from the superficial similarity of its leaves and flowers to those of elder (Sambucus), which is not closely related. Other common names include herb gerard, bishop’s weed, goutweed, gout wort, snow-in-the-mountain, English masterwort and wild masterwort.It is the type species of the genus Aegopodium. It is native to Europe and Asia, but has been introduced around the world as an ornamental plant, where it occasionally poses an ecological threat as an invasive exotic plant.

Cornell Cooperative Extension (Tompkins County)
http://ccetompkins.org/