Bishop’s weed is a bummer! It is one of those plants that just will not go away. Once it has taken root, it more or less smothers everything in its path.
It crawls across the ground in moist, partly shaded areas. It creates a dense groundcover that prevents other plants from developing. It spreads above ground with seeds and underground via runners. If you have bishop’s weed, it is very likely that you will always have bishop’s weed, whether you like it or not.
Bishop’s weed is also known as goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria). It was introduced to the U.S. as an ornamental plant from Europe and Asia. By the 1860’s, bishop’s weed was recognized as an invasive plant in Rhode Island as its ability to grow, spread, and smother was nearly unstoppable. Its damage to native vegetation and to the wildlife dependent on those native varieties is immeasurable. That makes bishop’s weed a most unwanted plant.
Today, bishop’s weed continues to hold a spot on invasive plants lists in Rhode Island as well as in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin. It is a noxious weed in many additional states.
Identifying Bishops Weed
Bishop’s weed resembles Queen Anne’s Lace. It has dainty white flowers that reach out from attractive solid or variegated leaves. It grows as tall as 3 feet, and it spreads rampantly. Check out the video and resources below for images to identify bishop’s weed.
Eliminating Bishops Weed
Bishop’s weed truly is tough to get rid of. If you already have some in your garden, you are probably aware of just how aggressive and tenacious it is. It grows through underground rhizomes. When broken or cut apart, the pieces of rhizome will develop into new plants. Complete removal of the rhizomes is necessary. Although it’s difficult to remove the entire rhizome, it is possible.
Work in a contained area. For example, start with a 2 foot by 2 foot square. Cut the entire bishop’s weed in the area down to the ground. Dig up the soil, the plant material, and the roots and rhizomes. Carefully sift out all of the rhizomes and roots, and throw them away. Replace the soil in the area, and begin the next section. You will need to work quickly between sections so the clean areas aren’t recontaminated with new runners.
Another method for controlling bishop’s weed is called solarization. Mow an area of bishop’s weed down to less than an inch tall. Layer several tarps over the mown section. Secure the tarps to the ground with rocks. As the sun heats up the area, a larger amount of heat will become trapped under the tarps and eventually burn and suffocate the plants and the rhizomes. The tarps may need to be left covering the ground for 1 to 2 weeks.
The most effective way to remove bishop’s weed, although not one hundred percent successful, is to use an herbicide. A basic broadleaf lawn weed spray will work the best. Several applications may be necessary. But remember, when using an herbicide, there is risk to other plants in the area, so weigh the use of chemical treatments carefully.
Alternatives to Bishops Weed
While bishop’s weed continues to be available to purchase in stores, it is a plant that is an inappropriate choice for a careful gardener who knows of its destructive capabilities. There are several plants that make great alternatives to bishop’s weed.
A nice native alternative to the invasive bishop’s weed in the Northeast is Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea). Golden Alexanders bloom in the spring with clusters of yellow flowers. They attract butterflies and bees for a happy, humming garden.
Canada anemone is another alternative to bishop’s weed. It is native to most of the U.S. It is an aggressive grower that is ideal for sunny areas that have succumbed to weeds. The Canada anemone has tenacious habit, so it is a good replacement for the non-native bishop’s weed.
Do your part in creating a healthy ecosystem by recognizing, avoiding and getting rid of invasive plants like bishop’s weed!
Want to learn more about getting rid of bishops weed?
Goutweed from Plant Conservation Alliance
Aegopodium podograria: Bishops’ weed, Gout weed, Ground Elder from NC Cooperative Extension
Thanks for this article and video! I am trying to eradicate Goutweed from my yard in several places using the digging and sifting method. It is a huge job and I want to make sure that I am being thorough enough. I live near a prairie and would hate for it to spread beyond my yard. Could you possibly post photos of the rhizomes and roots that need to be removed? Is it enough to remove the main roots or do I have to get the small ones as well? Will broken leaves root themselves? Many thanks for your help.
Sorry, I should say Bishop’s weed…I just read that Goutweed is another name for it.
It is almost impossible to sift out all of the rhizomes. The dig and sift approach needs to be repeated on a twice monthly basis for a year to avoid reinfestation. It is far easier to smother the goutweed by blanketing the infested bed and a two foot perimeter with layers of cardboard for a year.
LOVE your comment; I recycle cardboard and plastics. I’m going too use them to kill Goutweed pest instead. Thank you so m
I had the dismal experience of transplanting some iris from a goutweed/Bishop’s weed/Bishop’s curse infested bed at our new home to another location — before I knew how invasive it is. I thought I’d cleaned the iris rhizomes well, but it takes only a tiny piece of goutweed to start a whole new colony. Now I have the damned weed in my yew hedge and a border with rose bushes and perennial mums, as well as the original bed. I finally put the iris rhizomes in sand for a year to make sure they were clean of goutweed before replanting. I haven’t figured out how to deal with the goutweed that invaded my mums (and a rose bush) except to kill them along with the goutweed. And I’ll just have to keep after the yew hedge, I guess. Any ideas are most welcome.
I kept my garden number a tarp for 2 years to try to get rid of the darn weed. When I pulled up the tarp it was still growing under the tarp. I finally gave up and used a store bought weed killer. It kills everything but in twenty years of weeding and tarping it is the only thing that has removed all trace of the weed from the area that I sprayed. This is year two and other than getting infected from another area which I just pull out the area is still clear. Hate to say it but this is the only way.
Which weed killer did you use? I’ve been battling it for about 8-10 years now.
What kind of pesticides did u use
Gail; Please post the name of the weed killer you used. Thanks !
Hi Gail, Please post what brand weed killer did you use to get rid of Goutweed? THanks
I have Goutweed around my Tilia tree in my front garden. I tried weeding it out but it seems to enjoy the challenge of hiding little rhisomes from me and comes back stronger.I am thinking of doing the cardboard layers and mulch for the time it takes to kill the Goutweed.
I can remove all the other plants and bulbs in this bed and ensure they are Goutweed free before transferring them to a new bed, but what about my lovely tree. It is 5 years old and I had to elevate it above ground level due to the clay soil where we live holding water and essentially drowning the tree.
What effect would the layers of cardboard and mulch have on the passage of air to the soil and the the tree roots. I use the cardboard method all the time to make new flower and veggie beds and I know it can take care of grass and weeds easily but would it negatively affect my Tilia tree.
What weed killer did you use? Goutweed has taken over my back yard!
I used round up. 10 years ago. But its back!!!
I used Roundup several times on a small patch. It didn’t have any effect at all. Not so much as a single curled leaf.
I’d love to know what you used as well. I’ve been battling this darn plant for years and it’s winning with a vengeance.
I have been fighting Bishops Weed for 45 years. The previous owners of the house we purchased planted it. It is the most awful invasive plant I have ever encountered! It can take over a flower bed in a matter of weeks. You have to be extra careful if you are transplanting from a bed that has/had Bishops Weed. I dug up a transplant and put it in a pot and left nurtured and left in the pot until I was positive there were no more sprouts of the Weed. That took two summers. Also be careful buying from plant sales or sharing plants with others. I actually saw it for sale at a community plant sale!!!! Horrible—frustrating- miserable WEED
Did you try eating it? It seems to relieve gout… Bragging to the neighbours how it’s your favourite plant in the world and it’s maintenance free? Not speaking to it anymore? Planting ivy on top of it? which was the thing that kept it contained by previous owners but I only realised it after I took out the ivy.
I thought of using Murphy’s law against it. I’m certain I have a special variety that contains amazing levels of regenerating amino acids that L’Oreal or similar could use to make octogenarians look like teenagers. I would sell in on eBay for 10 million euros and when I would go to the garden to uproot some it would all be gone without a trace.
Voodoo?
This is very helpful and informative. Unfortunately, I have this and i’m Going to remove it.
That’s the spirit! I’m in too, even if I have to rent a goat for the summer.
I have it all in my front flower beds. Unfortunately I can’t dig them up and leave it covered by a tarp for two years. I wonder if I paint the leaves with round up if it will kill it off without killing everything else.
I’ve been winning against my bishop’s weed infestation. It was really bad when I moved in, 3 whole beds taken over entirely by the weed. What I did was dig up all the rhizomes by hand (labor intensive, took a few days) while sifting through all the soil for the little bits of root. The root is really easy to see as it’s bright white. Destroy anything you dig up. Then I densely planted my wanted plants, like hostas, and thickly mulched around them. If I saw bishop’s weed trying to grow again I’d dig up that spot and remove all the bits again. At this point I have one whole side of the yard completely free of bishops weed for 3 years and haven’t needed to dig. The only reason it keeps coming back on the other side in one bed along the fence, is because the neighbor’s yard on that side is full of the weed so I can’t get the source. You just have to be really really determined and thorough, and hope you don’t have a neighbor with a yard full of it next door or you’re screwed.
Now if I could only get rid of the field horsetail. If you don’t have that one thank your lucky stars! Bishop’s weed doesn’t scare me but the sight of horsetails fills me with fear – rhizomes 3 meters deep and it sends out spores as well.
I had horsetail in one bed that was sunny but sunken in a bit so stayed moist. After a couple years of spraying glyphosate (horsetail laughed) and trying to dig it up (horsetail really laughed), I decided to remove much of the clay soil and amend the rest with top soil, manure, compost leaf humus and raised the height of the whole bed so it no longer would pool water after a rain – bingo! Never saw horsetail again & lived there for another 10 years!
I have battled this weed for 50yrs+, using all suggestions, even replacing soil! Enough! I am using a kitchen table concoction: 1 gal. vinegar, 1 and1/2 cups of Epsom salts and 2T. of Dawn dish washing soap. Spray on plants, after 2 weeks it seems to be working, just do not get this solution on other plants and trees.
However, stillthe best way is to dig up perenials and clean out weed and replant.
It’s a horrible Plant!
Unfortunately glyphosate is the only herbicide that will permanently kill bishops weed.
I’m in Scotland where Bishop Weed is a problem. Apparently, because of its medicinal properties, it was widely planted by ecclesiastics even before the Middle Ages. So it is everywhere.
I think anyone who tries to dig it up is in for a very unpleasant surprise. Dream on. I have tried Glyphosate which is much less effective than Pastur or Grazon. These are selective broadleaved herbicides and work a treat if applied in Spring when the plant is growing vigorously. One treatment is not enough. Go back the next year and you will be rid of it.. You have to be vigilant but it works.
I am presently fighting this battle as well….I am in the process of sifting through sections, then soaking the heck out of it with Round-Up, put thick, black plastic on top and top that off with mulch. This stuff has choked out every plant but my hostas, and I’ve dug those up and put in pots. Fingers crossed the Round-Up & plastic work….
I read on another blog that there are determinant and indeterminate types of bishops weed. We want to avoid the indeterminate as it has no natural limits to its growth. Also that the variegated version is less rampant. Any comments on these ideas?
The variegated one is “less rampant” …. for a few years. Then it looses its variegation (or does it just seed non-variegated children?) and off it goes, as rampant as ever. So NO – don’t (for one second!) believe variegated is a gardening possibility!
You couldn’t pay me enough money to plant any variety or any color of Bishop’s weed anywhere close to my garden!
How deep into the soil do Bishop’s Weed roots go?
(Rather obviously) if you deprive it of light (people talk of black polythene but that’s often impractical and always ugly) it will weaken and, eventually, give up and die. So I find that if you pull off its leaves EVERY SINGLE TIME there is THE SLIGHTEST SIGN of a leaf, it does give up the struggle and dies. It’s actually quite fun to see how quickly it does weaken. You (obviously) HAVE TO do this 100% reliably and thoroughly/accurately – but it’s an ‘encouraging’ way of spending lock-down. I used to be “frightened” of ground elder – but not any more. 5 minutes on your knees and you can get a lot done.
(Christina, I’m in Scotland too and have reclaimed large areas like this, several times a tennis-court size)