Variegated bishop's weed
Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegatum' · Apiaceae
A carpet of pale green leaves edged in cream, with flat heads of white flowers in early summer. It grows where nothing else will, and nowhere does it stop.
- Size
- 12 in tall, 3 ft wide
- Zones
- 3 to 9
- Light
- Part sun to shade
- Flowers
- Grown for its leaves; flowers early June to late June
- Pets
- No toxicity recorded
- Job in a bed
- Carpet
Invasive in parts of North America. Spreads relentlessly by underground stems and regrows from the smallest piece. Listed as invasive in much of the Northeast and Midwest, and banned from sale in several states. The planner never chooses it.
Where variegated bishop's weed goes in a border
At 12 in it belongs at the front of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is low (6 to 12 in).
Its job: carpet. A groundcover planted in threes and fives to cover the soil: along the front, and just behind it.
It lights up dry shade and is almost impossible to remove once planted. The planner will not choose it for a bed. Where it is wanted, confine it between paving and a wall.
- Confined strips between paving and walls
- Dry shade where nothing else survives
- Containers
What to plant with variegated bishop's weed
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Hosta: bold leaves against its medium ones; spires rising out of its mound.
- Male fern: tall enough (3 ft) to stand behind it.
- Solomon's seal: adds the flowers, early May to late May; tall enough (3 ft) to stand behind it.
Questions about variegated bishop's weed
Does variegated bishop's weed need sun or shade?
Variegated bishop's weed grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light). It is one of the few that also put up with deep shade.
It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.
What zones does variegated bishop's weed grow in?
USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
How far apart should variegated bishop's weed be planted?
24 in (60 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 12 in (30 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many variegated bishop's weed plants do I need?
At 24 in apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 3 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 6 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 10 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.
Is variegated bishop's weed poisonous to dogs and cats?
No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.
"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.
What can I plant instead of variegated bishop's weed?
Variegated bishop's weed is listed as invasive in parts of North America (3 listings), so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:
- Canada anemone: the same job in a bed; 6 in taller, flowers late May to late June.
- Cliff green: the same job in a bed and the same size; fine leaves, not medium, keeps its leaves in winter.
- Common polypody: the same job in a bed; 8 in narrower, keeps its leaves in winter.
Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.
Do deer eat variegated bishop's weed?
Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.
Will variegated bishop's weed spread?
It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads relentlessly by underground stems and regrows from the smallest piece. Listed as invasive in much of the Northeast and Midwest, and banned from sale in several states.
It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.
What does variegated bishop's weed look like in winter?
Variegated bishop's weed dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.
Every fact on record
- Type
- Perennial (groundcover)
- Size
- 12 in (30 cm) tall, 3 ft (90 cm) wide
- Plant
- 24 in (60 cm) apart
- Height class
- Low (6 to 12 in)
- Place in the bed
- Front
- Flowers
- Early June to late June; flat plates; white
- Leaves
- Medium texture, herbaceous; variegated
- Shape
- Mat-forming, spreading
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 3 to 9
- Light
- Part sun, part shade, shade
- Soil
- Average, well-drained
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- None needed
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Comes from
- Europe and northern Asia to eastern Siberia
- Stands up to
- Deer, drought, deep shade, erosion
Checked against NC State Extension and VASCAN (plants of Canada). Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.