Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
[ah-SAR-um kan-ah-DEN-see]

Deciduous Perennial Spreading in the Aristolochiaceae Family
 
Buy Wild Ginger
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $14.37 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
32 Flat Field $94.24 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
Tray of 10 4" pots Field $63.55 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

Discover wild ginger, a versatile perennial that blankets the shade with its lush, heart-shaped leaves and delightful ginger aroma. With its unique, hidden bell-shaped flowers and persistent charm, it is perfect for naturalizing shady gardens.

Asarum canadense, commonly known as wild ginger, is a versatile, low-growing perennial native to the deciduous forests of eastern North America. This shade-loving groundcover forms a dense carpet of large, heart-shaped leaves that emerge in early spring, providing an attractive, textural foliage display throughout the growing season. The leaves, which are a rich, glossy green, release a distinct ginger-like aroma when crushed, earning the plant its common name. In early to mid spring, just before the foliage fully unfurls, Asarum canadense produces unique, inconspicuous flowers that sit close to the ground, hidden beneath the leaves. These unusual, bell-shaped blooms range in color from reddish-brown to deep purple, adding subtle visual interest to the plant's groundcover-forming habit. Adaptable to a variety of soil types, from sandy to clay, wild ginger thrives in the dappled shade of woodland environments and is an excellent choice for naturalized garden settings, shady borders, and erosion-prone slopes. 

Pros

  • Host plant for pipevine swallowtail butterfly
  • Roots have a distinctive ginger-like scent
  • Forms a dense, attractive groundcover in deep shade where little else thrives
  • Low-maintenance once established

Cons

  • Flowers are small and hidden at the base of the foliage, easy to miss
  • Slow to establish and spread
  • Contains aristolochic acid; not for internal/medicinal use despite historical folk use
Highlights

A true woodland native that forms a dense, glossy-green carpet in deep shade. Its odd little maroon-brown flowers are hidden beneath the foliage at ground level, pollinated by early-emerging flies and gnats, and its roots carry a genuine ginger-like fragrance.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 12 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Partial Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet:

Prefers consistently moist soil; can tolerate brief dry spells if sited in deep shade, but does not tolerate prolonged drought.
Zones 4a - 6b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Colorful Foliage, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Edging, Filler, For a Shady Spot, Fragrant, Full Shade, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rock Garden, Groundcover, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period April to June
Flower Color Purplish Brown
Foliage Color Green
 

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More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other shade-loving natives such as foamflower (Tiarella), golden ragwort (Packera aurea), starflower (Trientalis borealis), Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), and Allegheny pachysandra (Pachysandra procumbens).

Photos of This with...

Whitespire Gray Birch, Cushion Spurge, Lenten Rose, Primo Black Pearl Coral Bells, Plantain Lily,
 
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 09/20
2024 : 05/01 - 09/21
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!