2 named cultivars

groundcover

Ground Elder

The Story

Plant Bio

Aegopodium podagraria, ground elder or bishop's weed, is a fast creeping perennial from Europe and northern Asia, forming a dense mat of carrot-scented divided leaves on fleshy stalks, with flat white umbels of tiny flowers rising to three feet in early summer. The variegated form, with a white leaf margin, is the one usually sold as a groundcover.

It is among the most intractable weeds a garden can acquire: it spreads by brittle white rhizomes, every broken fragment regrows, and once it is threaded through the roots of perennials it cannot be dug out without lifting and washing every plant. Do not plant it. The variegated form also reverts to the plain green thug, which is far more vigorous.

Uses & Benefits:

Bright variegated foliage that covers difficult dry shade quickly — its only real virtue.

The young leaves are edible raw or cooked, and it was grown as a pot herb for centuries.

Bees, beetles and flies visit the umbels, but it forms dense mats that exclude other ground flora.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Groundcover

Height

10 inches

Width

15 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade

Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Water

Moderate

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Europe and northern Asia

Toxicity

Non-toxic; young leaves are edible

Planting

How to Grow

Do not plant it in open ground under any circumstances.
Use a sealed container if you must grow it at all.
Never dig or rotovate an infested area.
Smother patches with light-excluding sheeting instead.
Expect a full growing season of smothering to work.
Bag all material for disposal, never compost it.

Pro Tip

Digging multiplies it — every snapped piece of white rhizome regrows, so smothering for a full season is the only reliable removal.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Smother rather than dig 🛑
Bag every fragment for disposal 🗑️
Remove reverted green shoots at once ✂️
Choose almost any other groundcover 🌱

Don't

Plant it in a bed or border ❌
Rotovate or hoe an infested area ❌
Compost any part of it ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Check
Smother

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Not recommended for open groundSealed containers only, where grown at allHistoric and culinary herb collections

Companion Plants

Wild Ginger Foamflower Christmas Fern Barrenwort Spotted Deadnettle

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Ground Elder questions

What zones can Ground Elder grow in?

Ground Elder is hardy in USDA Zones 4–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Ground Elder deer resistant?

Yes — Ground Elder is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Ground Elder bloom?

Ground Elder typically blooms in late spring to summer through early summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Ground Elder need full sun?

Ground Elder does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.

Is Ground Elder drought tolerant?

Yes — once established (usually after the first full season), Ground Elder handles dry spells with minimal watering. Water deeply its first year to build the root system that makes that possible.