Controlling Ground Elder with Perennials – it’s easy to do

Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), also known as goutweed, bishop’s weed, acheweed and jack-jump-about, is very difficult to control because it keeps sending out new runners from even the smallest part of the plant. If weeding is too much trouble, you can plant other plants in the bed that will make life difficult for goutweed by stealing light and nutrients.

Ground elder reproduces mainly through root runners. The rhizomes, which can be up to 20 centimetres long, not only spread quickly but also break easily when weeded. Ground elder also has a special trick up its sleeve for becoming a permanent resident in your garden. It sprouts from even the smallest part of a root. This sometimes leads to ground elder growing even better after weeding, because too many pieces of the root have been left in the soil.

Of course, there are good strategies for cotrolling ground elder. The simplest approach is to leave the control of goutweed to others, namely plants. Competition from other fast-growing plants will deprive the weed of the conditions it needs to survive until it gives up, or at least stops growing rampantly in the garden.

Characteristics of plants that compete with ground elder

The plants grow vigorously
The plants are robust and easy to care for
The plants’ leaves shade the ground, preventing the shoots of the goutweed from getting light

1. Jerusalem Sage, Turkish Sage (Phlomis russeliana)

This perennial spreads by runners. Its leaves, which can grow to a height of 60 centimetres, shade the soil and suppress weeds. The yellow flowers are a popular source of nectar. The dried flowers are very decorative throughout the winter.

Position: Sunny to partially shady
Soil: Well-drained and nutritious
Height: 35 to 60 inches (90 to 150 centimetres)
Flowering time: May to July, depending on variety
Flower colour: yellow, pink, white, pink, purple

2. Japanese pachysandra, carpet box or Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminals)

Japanese pachysandra is a dense ground cover that can grow where other plants will not. The white flowers are very popular with bees.

Location: shady to semi-shady
Soil: well-drained, humic, loose
Height: 8 inches (20 – 30 cm)
Flourishing time: April to May
Flower colour: white

3. Barrenwort, Bishop’s Hat, Fairy Wings (Epimedium)

The barrenwort is very hardy and can even withstand the presence of goutweed. It has delicate pink or yellow flowers and prefers a shady spot. The heart-shaped leaves are very decorative, especially when they burst into leaf in spring, when they have a striking bronze pattern.

Location: shady to semi-shady
Soil: well-drained, humic, loose, moist
Height: 12 inches (30 cm)
Flowering time: mid-April to June
Flower colour: white, yellow, orange, red, pink or purple

4. Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla)

Lady’s mantle is an all-rounder in the garden and can survive in many places. However, it spreads very easily by seed.

Position: sunny to partially shady
Soil: undemanding, well-drained, humic, loose
Height: 15 inches (40 cm)
Flowering tie: June to July
Colour: greenish yellow

5. Coral bells (Heuchera)

Coral bells are a very popular foliage perennial. Many varieties have interesting foliage colours. Coral bells are at their best in autumn and winter. It is advisable to prune the plant back in the spring to give the young leaves enough light to develop.

Position: Half shade to out of the sun
Soil: Well-drained, nutritious, humic, loose, fresh to moist
Height: Up to 25 inches (60 centimeters)
Flowering time: May to September, depending on variety
Colour: white, red, pink

6. Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata)

Barren strawberry is a lovely low ground cover that forms a dense carpet of leaves and flowers from April to June. The evergreen golden strawberry also grows in shady areas and can make them glow at flowering time.

Position: shady to semi-shady
Soil: well-drained, loose, humic, nutritious
Height: 5 inches (10 – 15 cm)
Flowering: April to May
Colour: yellow

7. Lesser Knotweed (Bistorta affinis)

Lesser knotweed forms a dense blanket of leaves. The pink inflorescences, which bloom from July to September and attract bees, are very attractive.

Position: sunny to partially shady
Soil: well-drained, humic, nutritious, fresh to moist
Height: 10 inches (20-30 cm)
Flourishing time: April to May
Flower colour: white, pink

8. Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)

Lamb’s ear, also known as woolly hedgenettle, has a woolly covering on its leaves that prevents the plant from losing too much water in hot weather. The silvery leaves form a dense carpet that makes it difficult for weeds to get a foothold. The flowers grow on long stalks and are rather inconspicuous.

Location sunny
Soil: well-drained, loose
Height: 6 to 25 inces (15 – 60 cm)
Flowering period: June to August
Flower colour: red, pink

9. Cranesbill (Geranium)

There are many species and varieties of Geranium, so there is a variety of this very easy to grow perennial to suit almost any garden situation.

Location: sunny to semi-shady
Soil: well-drained, humic, nutritious, moderately moist
Height: 4 to 25 inches (10 – 60 cm)
Flourishing time: June to October
Flower colour: blue, pink, purple, white

Planting groundcovers

To rid your border of gound elder, you need to give groundcovers a good start.

Loosen the soil and remove as many of the goutweed roots as possible.

Plant the groundcovers as close together as possible. This will reduce the opportunity for the goutweed to form runners between the young perennials.
You will need to keep weeding the border in the early years until the perennials have formed a dense carpet of plants.
It’s best to plant ground covers in the autumn. This will give the plants time to take root over the winter and they will be ready to go to work in the spring, covering the ground and making life difficult for the ground elder.