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Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger)

Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) in landscape. Photo by Elaine L. Mills, 2016-04-19, private garden Arlington, Virginia.
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger) flower bud in April.
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) Habit
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

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Informational guide about Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger), detailing its characteristics, growth requirements, and uses in native plant gardening.Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian) Wild Ginger for the Mid-Atlantic Native to rich, deciduous forests in the eastern half of North America,* Wild Ginger naturalizes to create a lush ground cover with velvety, heart-shaped leaves. Historically used as a flavor substitute for culinary ginger, consumption today is ill-advised. The Virginia Native Plant Society selected Wild Ginger as Wildflower of theYear for 2010. Tried and True Native Plant Selections mgnv.org Ground Cover Colony, Flowers Height: 1⁄2–1 foot Spread: 1–11⁄2 feet Bloom Color: Brown-purple Characteristics Deciduous perennial ground cover Alternate, heart-shaped, velvety, green basal leaves with smooth margins and pubescent petioles Tiny, ground-hugging, 1-inch, bell-shaped, solitary flowers with 3-lobed, recurved calyx emerge on hairy stalks from axils of paired leaves April–May followed by a seed capsule Spreads slowly by rhizomes to form colonies Attributes Tolerates wet soil and dense shade; drought- intolerant; no serious pests (though snails/slugs may feed on leaves in early spring) or diseases Deer rarely damage (may browse on occasion) Ethnobotanic uses; therapeutic uses (sedative, fever reducer); discouraged as substitute for culinary ginger as it may have toxic compounds Attracts flies, beetles; larval host to ~1 lepidopteran Growing and Maintenance Tips Excellent Replacement for Soil Requirements: Acidic (prefers), well-drained Arum italicum - Italian Arum Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Shade Liriope spicata - Creeping Liriope Water Requirements: Moist Vinca Minor - Periwinkle Divide mature plants early fall *It is native to DC and common in the DE Piedmont, but rare in its Coastal Plain. It is found primarily in the MD Piedmont and mountains and is present throughout PA except in some central counties. In VA, it is common in the mountains and Piedmont, infrequent in the inner Coastal Plain, and rare in the outer Coastal Plain. In NoVa, the Digital Atlas of the VA Flora does not report it in Arlington County, but the USDA Plants database does. Use as edging, in rain, shade or woodland gardens, or massed on slopes to control erosion Hardiness: USDA Zones 4a–6b developed by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria Images by Mary Free, Quarry Shade Garden

Tried and True Native Plant Selections
 for the Mid-Atlantic

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Asarum canadense (Common or Canadian Wild Ginger)

Native to rich, deciduous forests in the eastern half of North America,* Wild Ginger naturalizes to create a lush ground cover with velvety, heart-shaped leaves. Historically used as a flavor substitute for culinary ginger, consumption today is ill-advised. The Virginia Native Plant Society selected Wild Ginger as Wildflower of the Year for 2010.

*It is native to DC and common in the DE Piedmont, but rare in its Coastal Plain. It is found primarily in the MD Piedmont and mountains and is present throughout PA except in some central counties. In VA, it is common in the mountains and Piedmont, infrequent in the inner Coastal Plain, and rare in the outer Coastal Plain. In NoVa, the Digital Atlas of the VA Flora does not report it in Arlington County, but the USDA Plants database does. You can view the VA counties in which it has been reported here.

Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants: 
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets