Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) is a perennial, herbaceous plant, native to eastern North America. I find it here in the higher elevations.
It spreads by rhizomes and makes a lovely groundcover in shade or part shade. I find it doesn’t care for the driest days of hot summer, but responds with appreciation when I water the many little plants.
This, from a few weeks ago. A bud, soon to be a flower.
Here’s the flower of Wild Ginger. If you didn’t know, you certainly would miss the flower. Gently push aside the soft leaves and there it will be. This is one of many plants that benefit from myrmecochory, or seed dispersal by ants. Pollinators are flies and beetles. It is a host plant to some moths and butterflies including the Pipevine Swallowtail.
More and more, spring is unfolding!
2 responses to “Wild Ginger a Great Groundcover”
Hi Brenda, I’ve had ginger around our stone foundations for years, but noticed something different this year. I had also planted a few lily of the valley in the same area and it seems to have pushed out the ginger in a lot of the area. Since the ginger itself had been pretty pushy I was quite surprised. Pretty chilly here in the UK this morning. We are going to Wisley Gardens today, should be lovely. Hugs, J
Hi Jackie! I hope you are doing quite well these days. You take care, okay?!
Yes, though I adore Lily of the Valley (since I am a MAY born child, it is my flower) but I too have found it to be really aggressive. I’ve put in some native to this area Lily of the Valley but have found it to need something that I’m not providing it. I’m hoping I can figure it out and get it going in a nice little patch.
Thank you for reading my posts and keeping touch!
Hugs
Bren