Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

A wonderful groundcover for light to deep shade. Four to six-inch heart-shaped leaves rise four to eight inches above the ground from slowly creeping rhizomes.

Use as a border along paths, in beds with other native woodland species, or as a substitiute for vinca, euonymus, or English ivy. The roots can be used as a cooking substitute for preserved ginger.

Wild ginger needs good, rich, organic soil and mulch to supply the needed moisture and keep it looking good all season. The seeds, which will germinate quite easily, are dispersed by ants. The spreading rhizomes can be divided after about three years.

Uses: Groundcover, cooking, shade beds, perennial
Bloom time: April & May (you'll have to search below the foliage to see the maroon flowers)

Height: 4 to 6 inches
Space: 12 to 16 inches

Sun: Medium to full shade
Moisture: Average to moist