Ground elderAegopodium podagraria

Ground elder

Ground elders

1. Apium podagraria
2. Sium podagraria
3. Selinum podagraria
4. Podagraria aegopodium

1. herb gerard
2. bishop's weed
3. goutweed
4. gout wort
5. snow-in-the-mountain
6. English masterwort
7. wild masterwort
8. ashweed

1. Goutweed
2. Bishop's weed

1. Baumtropf
2. Hinnemersch

1. Variegatum

1. Variegated Goutweed

1. Girsch

1. NameMasterwort

   Languageen

   Shared with

   1. Peucedanum ostruthium
   2. Astrantia major

   Clarification

   Often refers to Astrantia or Peucedanum; Giersch is called 'Wild Masterwort'.

1. ground elder
2. goutweed
3. invasive weed

1. Tracheophyta
2. Angiosperms
3. Eudicots
4. Asterids

Carrot family

1. Daucus carota
2. Apium graveolens
3. Petroselinum crispum

1. leaves
2. young shoots
3. flowers

Ground elder is a nightmare for many gardeners, yet for those in the know, it is one of the most valuable wild vegetables. Its resilience is due to a dense network of underground rhizomes. Those who manage to contain it are rewarded with a permanent harvest that tastes like a blend of parsley and celery.

1. Taskharvesting

   Label

   Spring Harvest

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 3
   2. 4

   Notes

   Young, still glossy leaves taste best.

1. Taskpruning

   Label

   Flower Trimming

   Prioritylow

   Months

   1. 5
   2. 6

   Notes

   Trimming umbels prevents uncontrolled seeding.

Part-shade to shade preferred, sun possible with sufficient moisture.

1. Forest edge
2. Undergrowth
3. Shady borders

Loamy, humic, nutrient-rich.

Indicator plant for nitrogen-rich soils.

Keep soil evenly moist, though established plants are very resilient.

In normal garden soils, no additional fertilization is required.

Caution: Extremely invasive via rhizomes. Root barrier or container culture strongly recommended.

1. Not relevant, as usually permanent or present as a weed.

1. Heavy feeders after complete removal of rhizomes.

Ground elder is a perennial survivor and does not follow classic crop rotation rules.

Deficiencies are rare; indicates nitrogen deficiency through pale green leaves.

1. Sluginvasive-growth

   Name

   Invasive growth

   Description

   Uncontrolled spread via underground rhizomes.

1. Sap-sucking insects

1. Rust fungi

1. Install root barriers.
2. Cut flowers before seed maturity.
3. Meticulously remove rhizome fragments when digging.

Ground elder is extremely robust; damage is usually purely aesthetic and rarely threatens the plant.

1. Slugpuccinia-aegopodii

   Severitylow

   Conditions

   1. Wet weather
   2. Dense stands

   Affected parts

   1. Leaves
   2. Petioles

   Prevention

   1. Thin out the stand
   2. Ensure air circulation

   Organic control

   1. Remove affected leaves and dispose of in household waste.

1. Symptom

   White, powdery coating on leaf surface

   Possible causes

   1. Erysiphales

   First checks

   1. Check if coating can be wiped off the leaf surface.

1. Excessive spreading
2. Displacement of crop plants

1. Sprouting of basal leaves in early spring
2. Development of flower stalks in early summer
3. Main flowering period from June to July
4. Seed maturation in late summer
5. Dieback of aerial parts during frost

Ground elder is a hemicryptophyte; it survives the winter with buds near the soil surface and vigorous rhizomes.

Compound umbel

White

1. 6
2. 7

Weak, herbaceous

1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6
5. 7
6. 8
7. 9
8. 10

March to May

1. Young leaves
2. Petioles
3. Flower buds
4. Flowers

Continuous harvest possible; regular cutting encourages the regrowth of tender leaves.

1. Leaves are still glossy and light green
2. Leaves are not yet fully unfolded ('mouse-ear stage')
3. Flower heads are still in the bud stage

Wrap leaves directly in a damp cloth or keep fresh in a glass of water.

Keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

1. Drying
2. Freezing
3. Preserving in oil (pesto)

Short-term storage (fresh consumption)

Fresh: 2-3 days; Dried: 12 months; Frozen: 6 months.

1. Drying for tea blends
2. Blanching and freezing like spinach
3. Processing into wild herb salt

A blend of parsley, carrot, and a hint of celery.

1. Raw in salads or smoothies
2. Cooked as a soup ingredient or spinach substitute
3. Finely chopped in herb dip or pesto

1. Leaves
2. Stems
3. Flowers
4. Seeds

1. Roots (inedible)
2. Older, tough leaves (bitter)

Non-toxic, but there is a risk of confusion with poisonous Apiaceae like hemlock.

Very well suited, especially the young, light green shoots.

Cut off umbels once the seeds are brown and dry.

Rub seeds from the umbels and separate from chaff.

Store in a cool, dry, and dark place.

As ground elder is not a woody plant, pruning primarily refers to weakening the rhizomes through regular removal of foliage.

Important food plant for hoverflies, beetles, and the larvae of the pug moth.

Peak time for culinary use.