Yellow Lamium (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) is an evergreen, perennial groundcover that can grow trailing or upright over low-growing vegetation. It’s also known as Yellow Archangel, Yellow Deadnettle, and Yellow Weaselsnout.
Yellow Lamium is native to Europe and was introduced to North America as a garden ornamental. While this species is found in a wide range of light conditions and a variety of soil types, it tends to prefer habitats with full shade and moist soils that are rich in organic matter. Therefore, Yellow Lamium is often spotted in ravines, greenbelts, forested areas, and parks. Due to its popularity as a hardy groundcover, this plant is also typically found in gardens, along ornamental borders, or as a component of hanging baskets.
This trailing invasive plant outcompetes native species by blocking sunlight and therefore reducing photosynthesis, as well as restricting space availability with its extensive root system. This means Yellow Lamium reduces the diversity of native vegetation and ultimately alters the structure of plant communities, especially in woodland understories and riparian ecosystems. It also provides poor shelter and reduces food availability for local wildlife, including pollinator species that rely on a diverse plant community.
Alternative native plants that could act as ornamental groundcover in your garden include: Alumroot, Hosta, Barrenwort, Yerba Buena, or False
Lily-of-the-valley. You can learn more about alternatives to Yellow Lamium in the Grow Me Instead brochure.
SSISC’s goal is to control the spread of Yellow Lamium at strategic sites in Squamish, and contain it from spreading further in Whistler and Pemberton. If you spot Yellow Lamium creeping outside of private gardens, please remember to report it by clicking here or by emailing info@ssisc.ca.
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