PlantFiles: Canadian Wild Ginger, Canadian Snakeroot
Asarum canadense

I love this little plant and really like the idea of being able to use it as a Ginger substitute. I had transplanted a couple of the plants I had found in the wild to my city backyard and they were doing fine. But I moved and now have clay soil and woods. I bought some roots and planted them in the woods and so far some are surviving, but not many. I don't believe they are very drought tolerant and they seem to like moist shady places, but they seem to be cold tolerant. Hopefully I will have a couple return this spring.

The following information is from Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America by Fernald & Kinsey.

“The rootstock has a fragrance and taste suggestive of ginger and is an agreeable nibble. It may be used either fresh or dried as a substitute for ginger in seasoning.

The long and nearly superficial rootstocks of Wild Ginger, cut into short pieces, boiled until tender and then cooked in a rich sugar-syrup and canned or not (as preferred) make a palatable substitute for preserved ginger. Although the rootstocks are reputed to be somewhat medicinal, no discomfort has been experienced from using this substitute in moderate quantity. Excessive eating of it might be harmful, a point which most who are sufficiently curious might well determine for themselves.”

The following information is from Edible Wild Plants: Eastern / Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson.

“Use: Candy, spice. The long horizontal rootstocks lie just below ground and are easy to gather. To make a pleasant candy, cut the rootstocks into short sections, boil until tender (at least 1 hour), simmer for another 20-30 min. in a rich sugar syrup, then separate and dry. The dried and crushed rootstocks can be substituted in recipes calling for commercial ginger.”

The following information is from The Encyclopedia of Edible Wild Plants of North America by Francois Couplan Ph.D.

"The rootstock of Asarum canadense has been used as a spice either fresh (crushed) or dried (powdered). It is aromatic, it's smell and taste vaguely reminiscent of ginger (Zingiber officinale, Zingiberaceae). It can also be candied.

It has been used as a carminative, diuretic, and expectorant, and was reportedly made into a contraceptive tea for women by the Indians. Externally it is an irritant, provoking dermatitis in certain people.

The leaves can also be used fresh or dried as a condiment. It is wise to use moderation with all parts of this plant as a related European species (A. europaeum) is know to have emetic properties."

It is also the most cold tolerant of all the Wild Gingers. I collected my plants in zone 3b even thought some books has the habit of saying it is only zone 4 hardy! It is also nice for Dry Woodland Shade (or on top of a tiny hill or highest spot in the yard)

The round, smoky green leaves of Asaram canadense are subtly beautiful. It currently grows half-wild in the darker edges of my garden, having escaped from a more formal treatment done years before by previous owners, and has flourished on its own. The flowers, pollinated mainly by crawling insects such as beetles, and ground-foraging flies, seem to elicit a variety of responses. I find them to be beautifully mysterious, maybe even a bit grotesque (as many beautiful flowers are), and I always look forward to pulling up the leaves each spring to see them sitting on the ground.

The leaves of this wild ginger are quite large and seem to be made of velveteen . It does make a very attractice ground cover. I have mine growing under some white spruces. It grows wild in the woods here in northern New York.

I found this beautiful ground cover in my back yard under an oak tree, didn't know what it was, just saw it everywhere and it doesn't die easily. I have very little growing experience. Hubby usually cuts it when grass is cut. Upon making new beds for flowers and shrubs on the front we wanted a ground cover to fill in the blank spaces instead of using pine straw or bark. So..... I pulled up a clump, just one, to see what was what, and transplanted it (actually stuck it in the wet soil) at the front of the house. To my surprise, it lived through a Mississippi winter and is now growing beautifuly and is slowly spreading. A year's time and it is about six clumps, it is a gorgeous low spread and looks like tiny hostas...beautiful and at no cost to hubby! I'm thrilled.

Cute little groundcover for a woodland garden. Does fine in fairly dense shade and clay soil.

Wonderful plant, whether for a groundcover or as a specimen. If it is planted on a slope, the flowers are apparent, and fascinating to see up close. Great at keeping weeds out, too. The rhizomes have a good spicy smell. I haven't eaten it personally, but I am told it is good fresh.

Asarum is a genus of approximately 70 species of low-growing, rhizomatous perennials occurring in woodlands. They have large, usually glossy leaves. The pitcher-shaped flower is insignificant. Best use is for groundcover in a shady border and as a woodland garden planting.

A. canadense is a decidous perennial with leaves 2-4 inches (6-10 cm)long.