COMMON NAME

Goutweed
Bishop's weed

FULL SCIENTIFIC NAME

Aegopodium podagraria L.

FAMILY NAME COMMON

Carrot family

FAMILY SCIENTIFIC NAME

Aegopodium podagraria

IMAGES

Inflorescence/fruit of varigated form	Leaf close-up of varigated form	Incursion
Close-up of roots	Close-up of flowers	Young plant

NOMENCLATURE/SYNONYMS

Synonyms: None

DESCRIPTION

Botanical Glossary

Aegopodium podagraria is a creeping, herbaceous perennial that can grow to be 40 cm-1 m (15.7-39.4 in.) tall. The basal and lower leaves have long petioles. There are usually 9 leaflets per lower leaf, although this can vary. Each leaflet is ovate with an acute or acuminate apex. The bases of these leaflets can be rounded or cordate. The lower leaflets are 3-8 cm (1-3 in.) long and have a serrate margin. The upper leaflets are similar to the lower leaflets, but are smaller and ternate in their arrangement, and have shorter petioles. The horticultural variety usually grown (Aegopodium podagraria var. variegatum) has white margins on its leaves. The white flowers are arranged in umbels that are 6-12 cm (2.25-4.75 in.) in diameter. Each umbel is borne on a long peduncle, and has 15-25 rays that are about 2.5 cm (1 in.) or more in length. The flowers of Aegopodium podagraria appear in June. The brown fruits oblong-ovoid, laterally flattened and 3-4 mm (0.12-0.16 in.) long. Page References Bailey 754, Fernald 1097, Gleason & Cronquist 371, Holmgren 347, Magee & Ahles 797. See reference section below for full citations.

SIMILAR SPECIES

Zizia aurea (L.) Koch. (Common golden alexander) Picture of Z. aurea
Cryptotaenia canadensis (L.) DC. (Canadian honewort) Picture of C. canadensis
Osmorhiza longistylis (Torr.) DC. (Aniseroot) Picture of O. longistylis

REPRODUCTIVE/DISPERSAL MECHANISMS

Aegopodium podagraria reproduces vegetatively via stolons, and can spread aggressively when its root zone is unrestricted. New plants easily grow from stolons that become detached. Most seeds fall to the ground, and account for only a small portion of this plant's spread. Some seeds may also be passively dispersed by moving water or by animals.

DISTRIBUTION

Aegopodium podagraria is native to Europe. In the U.S. it is found throughout the East and Midwest, and also the northwestern states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming. It is found in all the states of New England.

HISTORY OF INTRODUCTION IN NEW ENGLAND

Aegopodium podagraria was probably brought to New England as an ornamental foliage plant, but then easily escaped to naturalize along roadsides, waste places and cultivated ground. W.W. Bailey reported its presence in Providence, Rhode Island in 1863 (J. of the Torrey Botanical Society 1876, Vol.3: 176). It was noted in the early 1870's in both New York and New Jersey. It was listed as present in the Bangor, Maine region by 1906 (Rhodora, 1906, Vol. 8: 72).

HABITATS IN NEW ENGLAND

Aegopodium podagraria does well in partial sun to full shade, with a preference for well-drained, evenly moist soils. It is tolerant of poor soils and can grow in a wide range of soil pH values.

THREATS

Digging up this plant can often be counterproductive as fragmentation of the root system stimulates reproduction via the stolons. The non-variagated form is particularly aggressive.

MANAGEMENT LINKS

Plant Conservation Alliance fact sheet
Includes management information.

DOCUMENTATION NEEDS

Documentation required: A specific photograph or mounted snippet of the leaves.
Best time for documentation: Summer, fall.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Plant Conservation Alliance
Fact sheet with description and control information

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Taxonomic information about the species

The PLANTS database
General information and map

University of Minnesota Extension Service
An image and brief description

Ohio State University
Description of the plant in a horticultural setting

The Nature Conservancy
Photographs

Bailey, L. H.  1949.  Manual of Cultivated Plants.  Macmillan, New York.

Britton, N. L. and A. Brown.  1970.  An Illustrated Flora of the Northeastern United States vol. 2.  Dover Publications Inc., New York. 

Dlussky, G.M. 1998. Mechanisms of competition for pollinators in Anthriscus sylvestris Hoffm. and Aegopodium podagraria L. (Apiaceae). Zhurnal Obshchei Biologii 59 (1): 24-44.

Fernald, M.L. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany 8th ed. American Book Co., Boston.

Gleason, H.A. and A.C. Cronquist.  1991.  Manual of Vascular Plants of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. 2nd ed.  New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.

Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual.  New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York.

Magee, D.W and H.E. Ahles. 1999.  Flora of the Northeast. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst.

USDA, NRCS.  2001.  The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1. (http://plants.usda.gov).  National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.