Ground-elder

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Ground-elder

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae
Genus:	Aegopodium
Species:	A. podagraria

Binomial name

Aegopodium podagraria
L.

Ajwain is also known as bishop's weed.

The ground-elder (Aegopodium podagraria) is a common weed in the carrot family (Apiaceae) that grows in shady places. It is sometimes also cited as "ground elder", though this format invites confusion by suggesting it is a species of elder (Sambucus), an unrelated genus. It is also known as goutweed, herb gerard, bishop's weed and snow-in-the-mountain. It is the type species of the genus Aegopodium.

The tender leaves have been used as a spring leaf vegetable much like spinach. It has also been used to treat gout and arthritis. The plant is said to have been introduced into England by the Romans and into Northern Europe by monks.

In some areas this plant is considered among the worst of weeds, readily spreading over large areas of ground by underground roots. A variegated form is grown as an ornamental plant, though with the advice to keep it isolated. Ground-elder is used as a food plant by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera including dot moth, grey dagger and grey pug.

1 Photos
2 External links
- 2.1 Herbal information
- 2.2 General information and control measures

[edit] Photos

Variegated ground-elder in flower	Ground-elder on the wayside	A single umbel	Leaves
Stem profile - there is no toxic look-alike with a triangular profile.