Wild ginger
Asarum canadense
Heart-shaped leaves carpet deep shade. Not a culinary ginger.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 8
Light: shade
Size: about 0.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide
From: E. North America
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: wildlife, butterfly and moth caterpillars.
Native to: Northeast, Midwest & Great Lakes, Southeast, Eastern Canada. Hardy in zones 3 to 8.
The story
Wild ginger hides its single maroon flower at ground level under the leaves, where beetles and ants find it. Ants carry off the seeds for the fatty snack attached to each one and plant them in the process.
Planting
Shade and rich, moist, woodsy soil. Plant divisions a foot apart.
Growing
Mulch with leaves and water in drought. It slowly knits into a carpet.
Harvest and use
One of the best native groundcovers for deep shade, and deer leave it alone.
What to watch for
The root smells like ginger but is not safe to eat. Slugs when young.
See if Wild ginger fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home