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Ground Elder identification guide
What is Ground elder? Read through our Ground elder identification guide below. If you are still unsure, email us your photos and we will confirm whether it is Ground elder for FREE
Quick facts
- A common garden nemesis, Ground elder is considered a persistent weed.
- Ground elder is completely unrelated to Elder – and is in fact in the carrot family
- The smallest fragments of rhizome can start a new infestation
- Thick carpets of ground elder form quickly, out-competing other species
- Although a non-native, Ground elder is thought to support over 25 species of UK insects.
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What is Ground elder?
Ground elder (also known as Aegopodium podagraria) is a perennial plant native to Europe and Asia. It’s a member of the Apiaceae family, which also includes plants like carrots, parsley, and celery. Ground elder is sometimes referred to by other common names such as bishop’s weed, goutweed, or Herb Gerard.
Ground elder is believed to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans, who brought it over for its culinary and medicinal uses, particularly as a treatment for gout, hence the name “goutweed.”
Over time, ground elder escaped cultivation and spread across the landscape, becoming naturalised in the UK. Its ability to spread rapidly through its rhizomatous root system made it a persistent presence in gardens and wild areas, eventually earning its reputation as a troublesome weed.
Key characteristics of Ground elder
Leaves
The leaves of Ground elder appear in early spring on hollow stalks. They are normally made up of 3 leaves, that can split to appear like 9. Smooth in appearance and oval in shape with toothed edges.
Flowers
White umbellifer flowers appear on stalks up to 1m tall in early summer.
Stems
Ground elder stems are green, triangular and hollow with a distinctive groove along one side.
Roots
The roots of ground elder are the power house behind the plant. They are creamy-white in appearance, and are actually underground stems. Small fragments can grow new plants.
Seeds and seedlings
Oval brown seeds form from the flowers, turning into seed heads. Seeds usually fall close to the parent plants, and need cold stratification in order to germinate. Rhizome spread is the main route of propagation.
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Ground elder look-alikes
Cow Parsley vs. Ground elder – Although they share very similar flowers, the main difference between cow parsley and ground elder is the leaves. Cow parsley leaves are bipinnate and feathery in appearance emerging from purple-tinged stems.
Dog’s Mercury vs. Ground elder – Dog’s mercury and Ground elder are easy to mistake as Dog’s mercury also forms thick carpets of leaves in woodland areas. Unlike Ground elder, the flowers of Dog’s mercury are short and form in a vertical line of the stem. The leaves of Dog’s Mercury are longer and more pointed than Ground elder.
Hemlock vs. Ground elder – Hemlock is in the same family as Cow parsley and Ground elder, meaning they are easily confused. Hemlock is a much bigger plant than Ground elder and the leaves look more like those of cow parsley. Stems have purple blotches on where Ground elder stems are plain green.
Elderflower vs. Ground elder – Elderflower and Ground elder are normally confused because the leaves look similar and both Elder and Ground elder have white umbel-shaped flowers. Elderflower is in fact a tree shrub, so grows tall, from woody stems.
Ground elder Scientific and Botanical Information
Latin name
Aegopodium podagraria
Family
Ground elder is in the Apiaceae family – the same as carrots. There are around 12 species of Aegopodium, all of which are herbs with umbel-shaped flowers.
Common names
Ground elder is commonly known as Goutweed, Snow-on-the-mountain, Herb Gerard, Gout wort and Bishop’s weed.
Uses
Ground elder has been used as a spring leaf vegetable and a medicinal herb to treat arthritis and gout, although its use has now largely declined.
Variegated ground elder
The variegated variety of Ground elder has the same aggressive habits of its plain-leaved sibling but is more attractive as a garden ornamental for its interest. It shares the same preference for shade as Ground elder and differs only in the appearance of its leaves that have distinct pale green / cream edges.
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