Speaking with the CBC, Angela Way, a St. John’s resident who has been fighting goutweed in her garden for years, says many people don’t know what they’re signing up for when they purchase the plant.
Way told the publication that she bought her home in the winter and didn’t know the weed was growing on her property until spring.
After several unsuccessful attempts at removal, she covered her garden with black tarps to limit the plant’s access to sunlight. In 2025, she told the CBC she would have to keep the tarps in place for two to three years.
A goutweed plant with varegated leaves. (Gregory Philips/Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0)
How does goutweed spread?
Goutweed spreads plenty fast on its own, extending its reach by upwards of 70 cm a year.
It’s also spread through contaminated gardening equipment, improper disposal, and tiny seeds that can spread with the help of wind, water, or animal fur.
Getting rid of goutweed
Goutweed is difficult to pull out due to its underground rhizome network, so if you have it on your property, you’ll have to pack your patience, because removal can take years.
