It's called Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' and goes by several names including Bishop's weed, Bishop's Wort, Bishop's Elder, Dog Elder, Dwarf Elder, Ground Elder, Goat's Foot, Goatweed, Farmer's Plague, Garden Plague, Ground Ash, Pot-Ash, Jack Jumpabout, English Masterwort, Pigweed, Eltroot, and a list of others.
No wonder people have a hard time identifying it!
At first I thought it was pretty - very woodsy and it seemed to have little cream flowers. I thought, "What a neat ground cover." HA! Little did I know.
As the season progressed, I started calling it "The Blob" because it spread quickly, swallowing everything in its path. Now - it's a weed taking over the one flower bed I worked so hard to purifying and rejuvenating this spring. It went from a small section around the stump pictured above, to covering over 1/3 of the bed. It is no longer "cute" but a weed and I want it out.
I have always been patient with weeds - after all, they are only plants growing where gardeners don't want them. However, according to my research on this darling, removing it will be a battle, and one I probably won't win.
One of my favorite comments was from This Garden is Illegal
DISCLAIMER: If you are ever offered this plant, run, do not walk, run quickly from the area before you are talked into taking some home.Bishop’s Weed is an avid gardener’s worst nightmare. Worse yet, it is sold in garden centers and big box stores with no warning label. Really, before they are allowed to take this stuff home, people should be required to sign iron-clad contracts that requires them never to pass this plant along.
Here are the good things about it:
- It is a vigorous ground cover great for shady spots.
- It's fast-growing and easy to care for (little care needed, really).
- It's deer resistant.
- It tolerates poor soil and conditions where little else will grow. It's like ivy in the respect that you can plant it and let it be and not have to do much. This is great for those wanting low maintenance.
- It's good for erosion control.
It grows best in zones 3-9 (so just about everywhere) in part sun to shade.
It starts at 12-24 inches tall and 12-48 inches wide (but doesn't stay there - just thing "the Blob"
It blooms early summer and the flowers rise above the foliage, seemingly floating in the air.
Bishop's Weed has been used medicinally for bee stings, burns, and the treatment of gout and psoriasis. That might convince me to grow it in a container out of harms way - but I don't want ti where it is now, no matter how woodsy it looks. It's about to choke my poor roses!
I'm not one for herbicides. I have been able to maintain pretty much all weed growth I need with a mixture of white vinegar, salt, and water. This lovely however just laughs as the salty shower.
Next in my battle plan is conscientious pruning to keep it at bay until the spring. Because it's perennial, it will die back for the winter. I plan to cut it to the ground and cover it in black plastic tarp. Hopeful that will do the trick. If not, I pull out the big guns.
So, if you love your garden, and like your neighbors, this is not the plant for you. It's known to spread most auspiciously because people pull it up and toss it in the woods or even compost where it takes root and takes off. So be mindful with it - if you must have it, contain it.
No comments:
Post a Comment