About
Commonly referred to as ground elder, this robust perennial is known for its ability to spread and form dense clumps. It features soft green foliage and produces white flowers from spring into autumn.
About the genus
Aegopodium consists of rapidly expanding rhizomatous perennials characterized by leaves resembling those of elder plants and clusters of small white flowers that appear in the summer.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, South-facing, East-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Matforming
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- Europe, nat. N America
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Tolerant of most soils and situations and able to spread rapidly, carpeting the ground with foliage and creating a mat of shallow roots. Too competitive for most cultivated areas, but can be tolerated for its wildlife value in out-of-the-way spots. See ground elder for more information
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by division in spring or autumn
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free