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**This is the Plant Reference area of the Wild Ginger Farm website. **
Not all plants listed on this page are available for sale at this time.
Please visit our mail order catalog to view currently available plants.
Some plants are availabe exclusively at our retail nursery. |
Asarum
Wild Ginger
The wild gingers are low growing woodland plants with large showy leaves that spread by underground rhizomes. Most species are evergreen although even these can lose leaves in extreme winter cold. Their unusual Dutchman's Pipe flowers are often at soil level and can be hidden from view by the large leaves. They are most commonly found in the moist, humus rich soils of sloping woodland habitats in North America, Asia and Europe. In cultivation, wild gingers thrive in woodland gardens in light shade. They are generally slow to moderate growers but can reward the patient gardener with a lovely clump. All types can also be grown successfully in containers where their foliage can be appreciated and their unique flowers more easily viewed. Slugs can be a problem in some gardens but we have been able to control them successfully with the non-toxic iron phosphate formulation found in products such as Sluggo. The common name wild ginger refers to the fact that the stems and roots of many species have a spicy odor similar to that of culinary ginger. Culinary ginger is not, however, an Asarum. Culinary ginger is in the Zingiberaceae or true ginger family while wild gingers are members of the Aristolochiaceae or pipe vine family. Various species of Asarum are used medicinally.
Asarum asperum (syn. Heterotropa aspera)
| | | | This wild ginger has glossy, oval, evergreen leaves with a pale stripe down the center. It has purple, urn-shaped flowers in spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. Native to Central Japan and often found in Kyoto temple gardens. It is hardy to 0 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae It is also known as Heterotropa aspera. |
Asarum canadense
| | | This is the native wild ginger found in woodlands in the eastern US and Canada. It is a creeping groundcover with satiny, mid-green heart-shaped leaves and purple-brown flowers in spring. Deciduous. 6” x 10” Grow in part to full shade in humus rich soil. Hardy to -30 degrees F Aristolochiaceae |
Asarum caudatum
| | | This evergreen groundcover, also known as long-tailed wild ginger, has beautiful heart-shaped leaves. The flowers peek out from beneath the leaf canopy. Our plants originated from western Oregon and the flowers on individual plants vary in color from purple to a less common greenish white color that we call "Album". Best grown in a shady location, in humous rich, well-drained soil with low fertilizer. Commonly found in moist forest settings, it is also tolerant of low water situations once it is established. Foliage and root has a spicy smell similar to culinary ginger when crushed. Hardy to -20 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Asarum delavayi
| | | | This truly striking wild ginger has large, glossy green, arrow shaped leaves often 6" long or more on 6-8” stems. Purple and yellow speckled flowers up to 2” wide bloom in spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well drained soil. Found in shady areas in mountains of SW Sichuan and NE Yunnan. Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Asarum delavayi 'Sichuan Splendor'
| | | | Glossy green, arrow-shaped leaves on long dark stems and dark purple and cream, speckled cup-shaped flowers in early spring Part to full shade, moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. The species is found in the mountains of SW Sichuan and NE Yunnan, China Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Asarum epigynum 'Silver Web'
| | | | This wild ginger has small, narrow, arrow-shaped leaves with thick silver along veins. It produces a disc shaped purple and red flower in early spring. Prefers part to full shade, moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. It grows in the forests and valleys of Hainan and Taiwan Hardy to 30 degrees F and can be successfully overwintered indoors or in a cool greenhouse. Aristolochiaceae |
Asarum europaeum
| | | Creeping evergreen groundcover with glossy, dark green leaves and small greenish flowers in spring. 3” x 12” Part to full shade, humus rich soil. Western European woodlands. Hardy to -30 degrees F Aristolochiaceae |
Asarum hirsutasepalum
| | | | This evergreen Japanese wild ginger has glossy green, heart-shaped leaves that are sometimes described as rubbery to the touch. It has interesting yellow and purple flowers in spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. Yakushima, Japan Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae |
Asarum magnificum 'Variegated'
| | | | This "magnificent" wild ginger has dark green, nearly triangular, evergreen leaves with pale green markings and urn-shaped, purple and white flower in late spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. The species is native to low elevations forests and mountain slopes in Guangdon and Hunan, China Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae | |
Asarum maximum 'Green Panda'
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This striking wild ginger has evergreen oval to arrow shaped leaves to 6” long with eye-catching 2” wide black and white panda flowers in spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. Species is native to the low elevation forests of Hubei and Sichuan, China Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Asarum maximum 'Ling Ling'
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Wow, take a look at this wild ginger. It has dark green evergreen leaves with light green patterns on the sides of central green strip and amazing 2” wide black and white panda flowers in spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. The species is native to the low elevation forests of Hubei and Sichuan, China Hardy to 10 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Asarum splendens
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One of the most familiar and deservedly popular of the Asian Wild Gingers, Asarum splendens is vigorous and easy to grow. It has large, green, broadly arrow shaped leaves with irregular silver marbling. Speckled cup-shaped flowers are produced in late spring. Grow in part to full shade in moist, humus rich, well-drained soil. Found in thickets, grasslands and on moist slopes in the mountains of China. Hardy to 0 degrees F. Aristolochiaceae
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Wild Ginger Farm
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