Aegopodium podagraria - Ground-elder

Also known as ‘Bishop-weed’, this is a tenacious weed despised by gardeners. The leaves are distinctive and often form large patches on roadsides and around habitation.

Sturdy, glabrous plant with hollow, ridged stems to 1m. Long, thin white stolons. Leaves 1-2 ternate with oval toothed lobes often unequal at the base. Sometimes the 3 lobes don’t fully separate. The lower leaves are long petiolate and the upper shorter petioles with sheathing stems. Umbels hemispherical with no bracts or bracteoles, glabrous rays. Flowers white with outer petals larger. Fruit ovoid ridged and slightly compressed 3-4 mm.