Asarum is a genus in the Aristolochiaceae family with species found in Asia with the major distribution in Japan and China, one species from Europe and a few in North America. Commonly called wild ginger, these are low growing plants with rhizomes. In most species the flowers appear in the spring and are hidden beneath their foliage.
Asarum arifolium Michx. is an evergreen North American species with silvery markings. In colder weather, leaves in exposed positions may take on a purplish hue. Height range: 15-20 cm. Photos by Jay Yourch.
Asarum canadense L. is a deciduous North American species with brown purple flowers in the spring. Height range: 15-30 cm. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Asarum caudatum Lindl. is found in the United States and Canada in shady moist areas. It has evergreen cordate shiny leaves with red-brown flowers. Height range: 15-30 cm. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner taken on the Mendocino Sonoma Coast. In the last photo it is growing with Oxalis oregana.
Asarum europaeum L. subsp. europaeum is an evergreen species that grows wild in Europe and Siberia in shady moist woods. Its slender rhizome grows just under the leaf litter. Leaves are roundish-kidney shaped, glossy, up to 8 cm. Flowers appear in spring and are brown outside and dark purple inside, tubular, 3-lobed, about 1 cm in size. They often also stay beneath the leaf litter and have to be dug up to be seen. Photo 1 was taken by Gianluca Corazza and the next two photos by Martin Bohnet.
Asarum maximum Hemsl. is from China. It is evergreen with green mottled gray leaves and deep maroon flowers that appear in spring. Height range: 15-30 cm. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Asarum sp. from China. Photos by John Lonsdale.
