This low, perennial ground cover is widely used in Illinois gardens. It is also known as ashweed, ground ash, ground elder, herb gerard, or by its genus name, Aegopodium. The variegated form that seems to be most widely used is sensitive to scorch in sunny locations. The problem has popped up again at the Plant Clinic and I have seen it around Champaign-Urbana. Foliage is brown, leaf edges are "burnt," and the normally lush plant is thinned and looks weak. This injury is most common in a period of very hot weather following a time of lush growth--just the weather that much of Illinois has had of late.

This plant is best maintained with periodic mowing throughout the growing season, whenever the foliage looks poorly. Mowing encourages new growth and helps keep plants dense. One word of advice: Don't mow low enough to injure the crowns, or the plants will die.