Chinese wild ginger

Sun

Partial to full shade; protect from strong afternoon sun.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged; water during dry spells, especially beneath trees.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m), eventually wider through creeping rhizomes

Flowers

Spring; small, dark purple-brown flowers sit at ground level, usually hidden beneath the leaves.

Foliage

Glossy, pointed, heart-shaped leaves, dark green with irregular silver-grey mottling; evergreen to semi-evergreen depending on winter conditions.

Growth

Slow to moderate; spreads more steadily once established.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.2 ft (0.06 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.4 ft (0.11 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.5 ft (0.16 m)

4. After 3 years

   0.7 ft (0.21 m)

5. After 5 years

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply when the surface soil begins to dry; do not let new plants dry out.
• Mulch with leaf mould or compost, keeping it clear of the crowns.
• Top-dress with compost in spring; rich soil rarely needs additional fertiliser.
• Protect from afternoon sun and drying winds.
• Divide established patches in spring if you need more plants or want to limit their spread.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, snip off frost-damaged or tatty leaves at their bases without damaging emerging shoots. No routine cutting back is needed.

Early spring

Remove damaged foliage and check emerging shoots for slug damage.

Spring

Plant or divide into moist, compost-enriched soil and water thoroughly.

Late spring

Apply a light mulch of leaf mould, leaving the crowns exposed.

Summer

Water during dry spells, particularly where tree roots compete for moisture.

Autumn

Remove heavy accumulations of fallen leaves that could smother the foliage.

Winter

Check that the planting area drains freely and avoid disturbing frozen foliage.

• Use as a low groundcover beneath deciduous shrubs where the soil stays moist.
• Edge shaded paths where the silver markings can be seen close up.
• Combine with ferns and hostas for contrasting leaf shapes and textures.
• Plant in sheltered courtyard shade with other moisture-loving woodland perennials.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Japanese, Chinese scholar garden, Secret garden, Green on green and Small-space.

Plant it with: Hostas, Epimediums, Japanese painted ferns, Hellebores, Solomon's seal and Foamflowers.

Wildlife: Dense foliage provides shelter for small invertebrates. The inconspicuous flowers are associated with small ground-level insects rather than providing a conspicuous nectar source for bees or butterflies.

• Slugs and snails can chew young leaves; remove hiding places, hand-pick at dusk or use iron-phosphate bait according to the label.
• Crown and rhizome rot can develop in waterlogged soil; improve drainage and remove rotten plants.
• Strong sun can scorch foliage; move plants into deeper shade and maintain soil moisture.
• Dry soil causes wilting and poor establishment; water deeply and mulch, especially beneath trees.

Do not eat any part. Asarum plants can contain aristolochic acids, which can cause serious kidney damage and cancer if ingested. Keep leaves, roots and rhizomes away from children and prevent cats, dogs and horses from eating them; species-specific poisoning information for these animals is limited.

• European wild ginger (Asarum europaeum)

  Usually has rounded, kidney-shaped, glossy green leaves without the conspicuous silver mottling.

• Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

  Has softer, hairy, unmarked green leaves and dies back completely in winter.

• Cyclamen-leaved wild ginger (Asarum maximum)

  Can have similarly marked foliage, but its much larger flowers have conspicuous pale interiors contrasting with dark purple-brown lobes.

The epithet splendens means shining or splendid, while wild ginger refers to the ginger-like scent of the rhizomes, not to any culinary use.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring, keeping roots and at least one growing point on each section. Replant promptly at the original depth and keep moist while new roots establish.

Accepted botanical name

Asarum splendens

Native range

China South-Central.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.