Bishop's Weed, Gout Weed, Snow-on-the-Mountain

Heat Tolerance: Leaves scorch if there is an excess of sun, or a lack of water

Sun Exposure: Part sun to shade

Origin: Eurasia

Growth Habits: Deciduous herbaceous perennial ground cover, 0.5 to 1 foot tall (15-30 cm), 1 to 1.5 feet spread (30-45 cm); bipinnately divided leaves, about 3 inches long (7-8 cm), 1.6 to 2 inches wide (4-5 cm), with a long stalk and 3 to 9 leaflets, upper leaves reduced but similar to basals; ovate serrated leaflets mostly glabrous

Flowers: White flowers

Watering Needs: Moderate water, prefers good drainage in evenly moist soils

Propagation: Spreads rapidly by underground rhizomes, can be invasive, propagated by division, root cuttings, or seeds

The variety 'Variegatum', has leaves edged of white and is the most common in cultivation. It is less invasive than the species.

Blooming Habits:
Sparse tiny white flowers in umbels, in late spring to mid summer, on 1.5 feet tall peduncles (45 cm). It might be better to shear the flower stalks to keep the plants cleaner looking and decreasing the chances of volunteer seedlings.

Culture:
The plants can be mowed, on a high setting, a few times a year to keep them low, and regenerate the foliage in mid-summer when it starts weakening. Eliminating it might be difficult, it should be planted only in an area where it can be contained. Herbicide in the spring is the best way to get rid of it.