Description
The wild ginger is a reliable, hardy groundcover for part shade and shade locations, spreading from rhizomes. The heart shaped leaves are covered with soft, downy hairs looking quite velvety. It is deer-resistant and will maintain a great green carpet throughout the year. It has interesting flowers that appear at the base of the stems and make for a good outdoor family activity in early spring – a contest to discover the first wild ginger flower! They are pollinated by insects that inhabit the woodland floor; the foliage can serve as a larval host for pipeline swallowtail butterfly.
More about: Asarum canadense
Although not related with the spice ginger when broken, the rhizome will exhibit a ginger-like aroma and can be used as a substitute. Native Americans used it medicinal to treat colds and fevers.
Germination: 100% when sown fresh or moist packed seeds are used. It needs a stratification period of warm/moist followed by cold/moist (winter) to germinate. The seedlings are fast growing and in 3-4 years they can be spread to form a carpet. Also an easy species to be sown ‘in situ’ if you are trying to cover a large area.
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