European Wild Ginger
Asarum europaeum
Asarum europaeum, known as asarabacca, European wild ginger, hazelwort, and wild spikenard, historically cabarick, is a species of flowering plant in the birthwort family Aristolochiaceae, native to parts of temperate Europe, and also cultivated in gardens. It is a creeping evergreen perennial with glossy green, kidney shaped leaves and solitary dull purple flowers hidden by the leaves. Though its roots have a ginger aroma, it is not closely related to the true culinary ginger Zingiber officinale. European wild ginger is sometimes harvested for use as a spice or a flavoring. In former days, it was used in snuff and also medicinally as an emetic and cathartic. The FDA warns against consuming Asarum, as it is nephrotoxic and contains the potent carcinogen aristolochic acid.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
⚠ Safety
Not culinary ginger and not edible — it contains toxic compounds. Grow purely as a shade groundcover.
At a glance
- Sunlight
- Deep shade
- Water need
- Medium
- Mature height
- 0.1 m
- Maintenance
- Low
- Hardiness
- USDA 4–8
- Layers
- groundcover
Functional roles
Propagation
How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.
When: Divide spring
Glossy evergreen kidney-shaped leaves for deep, dry shade where little else will carpet.
Where to get it
Read more
Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.