It can be controlled by pulling up where you don't want it, but I had to spray to totally get rid of it.

Westy, this plant is also known as 'Snow on the Mountain' and 'Goutweed'. It is extremely invasive and is considered a noxious weed in many states. It spreads both by seed and underground runners and is horrid to get rid of. If you pull and leave the tiniest root thread behind, it'll be B-AAAA-C-K.

A friend of mine finally got rid of hers by using several applications of RoundUp for heavy brush and poison ivy. Good luck with yours.

Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' is the latin name.

It can be pretty but I'd never plant it after experiences with it at a rental house and relatives/friends houses.

Same for me. I've had to use Roundup straight from the bottle to get rid of it. I left pieces of is along our woods. And although it does look pretty from afar, it is spreading and worst of all, it is providing a food source for the groundhogs!!!! But better that they eat that than my other perennials I guess. it will always be back.

Thanks for telling me what I already suspected....that I'm an idiot for planting the damn stuff. I guess I start with the Roundup but it's growing in and around the hosta so I guess I need to cover them first. Kathieo - when you say 'straight from the bottle'...what exactly do you mean? I've never used it so I guess I should just read the directions! I thought I'd pull as much as possible and then spray or use some kind of 'killer' stuff. I'm hoping to replace it with pachysandra.

Westy

About 10 years ago I planted this in a bed about 4' X 30' where I needed a ground cover; big, BIG mistake!

I ended up digging up every other plant in the bed, knocking as much soil off the plants roots as I could and pulling out as much of the offending plants roots as possible. Then I put each plant in a pot, where they remained until I was sure they had no roots of the offending plants left with theirs.

I left the bed empty for two seasons and hand sifted and pulled out any seedlings and roots I found. I finally won and was able to replant the area. Suffice it to say that Round-up would have been a lot easier and faster, LOL!

I can't believe the work you went to, nanner! I think I'll be using Roundup. I also can't believe I see it at nurseries with PRICES - like people pay for this!!!! (I did!)

Westy

Agreed this is a tough one to get rid of (legendarily) and Round-up is definitely the way to go. Pull other plants, hose down the roots and replant elsewhere (even in pots so they can be eventually returned to the bed, and to ensure you didn't miss any bits), and then spray. Don't try to cover them because you will either inadvertantly spray them and they will falter or die, or you will miss the goutweed plants around them. And then repeat when it comes back. And then repeat when it comes back. Then when it doesn't, eventually, you can replant. I would not bother pulling first only because it just exacerbates the problem and extends the timeline by creating a slew of potential new plants in the ground (Round-up works by getting into the roots, so it is better to have the plants up and absorbing that you want to kill).

I will say, though, that it is a very attractive plant and like a lot of plants, just needs to be in the right place. For example, I used it in a former garden in a raised, enclosed bed in my backyard (about 8 feet by 4 feet) with a lime green Shishigashira japanese maple, a Miss Kim lilac, and a couple of clematis growing out of it (clematis up a trellis). It was a gorgeous, cooling effect, and acted as a living mulch and even a green manure every winter.

Bishop's Weed is the bane of my existence. I planted flats of it years ago, and have been digging it out ever since. It is currently under a beautiful very large elm, and a candy apple (crab apple) tree. Will using Round-Up damage the tree roots?
Thanks.

I am no Round-up expert and you should consult the instructions, but my strong guess is that you can go ahead, and I have used it underneath trees and shrubs without a problem. The point is it is a foliar spray, you aren't saturating the ground. Just be conscious of overspray.

I should create a separate post, probably, but my Bishop's Weed problem has solved itself, it seems. Last week I noticed it is all turning brown! I haven't done a thing to it...no roundup or anything. I'm wondering if it's just baking because of the heat and humidity in Northern Illinois (and everywhere else in the country). I never water it, so maybe it's just drying up? Anyone have this wonderful problem?

Westy

I live in country and it is every where now getting into my flower beds. They say butterflies love it and I yet to see a butterfly on it. I've been pulling and spraying and seeds now gets all over your clothes.

Don't get your hopes up; it often goes brown/dormant in late summer especially after flowering, looking ratty (when I had it I would just cut it to the ground and let it come back as fresh new growth), but it will be back, and is spreading underground right now.

I have been able to corral Bishops Weed around my dogwood tree. It is restricted from spreading by a 4" plastic border. I weed whack it down then it looks beat by the august sun and shows a new green within a few weeks.

I also have it in my back garden and keep it controlled by pulling it out from where I don't want it. Granted it is a bit to work but not as much as you would think it would be.

I am glad to see a positive post on this plant. In the right place it is wonderful.

My mother has it in a large flower bed that is hemmed in between the house and a concrete path and thru it grows her delphiniums, peonies, and ferns.

This flower bed has been there for years and the bishops weed has never killed these other perennials. It looks wonderful and she never has to weed as the bishops weed is a lovely living mulch.

My aunt has it under her shrub roses, they look lovely coming up thru the white green leaves, and again, no problems for the roses, and no other competing weeds.

Used wisely it is a lovely plant.

I also like this plant very much - with the correct siting, it is a great addition to a shady garden but does require some effort at containment. I would hesitate to call it invasive - it is only listed as such in 3 states - but it IS an aggressive spreader, as are many other groundcovers. That is after all their intended purpose - to spread and cover the ground!! I have never found it difficult to remove from where it is not wanted.

Also 'snow in on the mountain' is the common name of another plant as well - Euphorbia marginata.....always best to refer to plants by their botanical name to make sure we are all talking about the same thing :-)

I agree 100% - used wisely, it is indeed a lovely and useful plant.