Species Management and Control Information

Goutweed
Aegopodium podagraria L.

Source: The following information is taken from a number of sources and those sources are identified at the beginning of the referenced information. The intent of this resource is to provide the user with as much of the information that exists for management and control of this species as is practical. It is important to note that new and improved methods are added regularly which will require you to visit the websites provided for updates on this information. Bibliographies and resources referenced by these sources are not included here, but are included at the websites from which this information was extracted.

READ THIS FIRST! Before administering any of the following management and control options, it is imperative that you are familiar with the background information provided under the General Management and Control Section. For additional, and potentially more current, information on management and control of this species, use the Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council (MA-EPPC) listserve or any of the other listserves identified in the Resource - Listserve section of this tutorial. You will find directions for subscribing to the list serve there. The MA-EPPC listserve has an archives feature that saves past discussions (beginning in 1999) about specific species control. These messages are at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ma-eppc/messages.

All information that follows in taken from the following resources:

Plant Conservation Alliance, Alien Plant Working Group - Weeds Gone Wild - Fact sheet - Goutweed - http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/aepo1.htm - Authors: Steve Garske and David Schimpf - April 1, 2004.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

A variety of methods are available for controlling goutweed, depending on the extent of the infestation and the amount of time and labor available. Regardless of the control method used, the patch should be carefully monitored periodically for a few years. New shoots should be dug up and destroyed. Once goutweed control has been achieved, revegetation with native or non-invasive exotic plant materials is recommended. This is particularly important on sites where erosion is a concern or where other invasive species are likely to colonize the site if left alone.

MANUAL AND MECHANICAL CONTROL:

Manual. Small patches of goutweed can be eliminated by careful and persistent hand-pulling or digging up of entire plants along with underground stems (rhizomes). Pulled plants can be piled up and allowed to dry for a few days before bagging and disposing of them. Be careful to pick up all rhizomes which, if left behind, can reroot and sprout new plants. For large patches, a team of volunteers or use of herbicide is recommended.

Mechanical. Where appropriate, frequent short mowing may control or slow the spread of goutweed in lawns, along roadsides, and other areas.

Physical. Preventing goutweed from photosynthesizing in early spring (at the time of leaf-out) can control the plant by depleting its carbohydrate reserves. This can be accomplished by covering the patch with black plastic sheeting when the leaves start to emerge from the ground in the spring, and leaving it in place through the summer. A more effective option is to cut all plants once they've fully leafed out, using a mower, scythe, or weed-whacker type machine, and then cover the area with plastic. Covering the plants in mid- or late summer, after they have regained substantial starch reserves, is probably much less effective.

BIOCONTROL:

There are no biological control organisms currently available for Aegopodium podograria in North America.

CHEMICAL CONTROL:

Systemic herbicides such as glyphosate (Roundup) that are translocated to the roots and kill the entire plant are most effective for goutweed control. However, glyphosate is non-specific and can damage or kill desirable native plants that are accidentally sprayed in the course of treating the goutweed. Contact herbicides are usually ineffective because goutweed readily leafs out again after defoliation.

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