European wild ginger
Asarum europaeum ·
Glossy, dark, kidney-shaped evergreen leaves knit into a polished carpet. It is slow, neat and elegant in full shade.
- Size
- 6 in tall, 12 in wide
- Zones
- 4 to 7
- Light
- Part shade to shade
- Flowers
- Grown for its leaves
- Pets
- Toxic to people
- Job in a bed
- Carpet
A bed built around European wild ginger
The planner designed this bed around European wild ginger when this page was made: a 12 × 6 ft (3.7 × 1.8 m) English border in zone 6, part shade. It chose the other plants from the 513 that suit those conditions, and says below why European wild ginger stands where it does.
The plants
- 1 European wild ginger × 16, dark green leaves
- 2 Moor grass 'Greenlee' × 7, tan
- 3 Turtlehead 'Hot Lips' × 5, pink
- 4 Tall astilbe 'Superba' × 3, purple
- 5 Bleeding heart 'Gold Heart' × 1, pink
- 6 Virginia bluebells × 3, blue
- 7 Winter cyclamen × 12, white
- 8 Yellow trout lily × 12, yellow
Why this plant
- The only plant grown for its leaves. Leaf lasts all season, where a flower lasts a few weeks.
Why here
- Under the taller plants. It runs back between them as living mulch: there its job is to cover the soil, not to be looked at.
- 16 plants in 4 groups (5, 5, 3 and 3). Seen again further along, the same plant ties the bed together.
Why now
- Here for its leaves, all year. They cover the 11 weeks between early March and late November when nothing on the plan is in flower.
- The only leaves in winter. From November to March it is what there is to look at.
Planned as an English border: 4 of the 5 groups (80%) are drifts, longer along the bed than they are deep. European wild ginger is planted in four places along the bed, which gives it rhythm. There is more European wild ginger than anything else, 16 plants in all.
The planner's own design check: 13 Excellent, 4 Good. It flags one thing to watch: Nothing on this plan is highly poisonous or an aggressive spreader.
Open this bed in the planner Change its size, the sun or the style, move plants about, or swap one for another.
Where European wild ginger goes in a border
At 6 in it belongs at the front of a bed. In the planner's ten height classes it is ground-hugging (up to 6 in).
Its job: carpet. A groundcover planted in threes and fives to cover the soil: along the front, and just behind it.
The shine of the leaves is the point: it reflects light in the darkest places. Plant it at the front where it can be seen, with matte or feathery partners.
- Evergreen groundcover for deep shade
- Edging a woodland path
- A glossy foil for ferns and hostas
What to plant with European wild ginger
Plants recorded as good partners for it, and what each pairing does:
- Japanese painted fern: tall enough (18 in) to stand behind it; happy in the same moist soil.
- Hosta: bold leaves against its medium ones; spires rising out of its mound; tall enough (18 in) to stand behind it.
- Lenten rose: adds the flowers, late March to early May; bold leaves against its medium ones; tall enough (18 in) to stand behind it.
Questions about European wild ginger
Does European wild ginger need sun or shade?
European wild ginger grows in part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).
It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.
What zones does European wild ginger grow in?
USDA zones 4 to 7. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).
Above zone 7 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.
Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.
How far apart should European wild ginger be planted?
10 in (25 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 12 in (30 cm), so a group knits into one patch.
It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.
How many European wild ginger plants do I need?
At 10 in apart, set out in staggered rows:
- 17 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
- 13 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
- 55 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own
In a mixed border, plant it as threes and fives, along the front and just behind it.
In the bed above, the planner used 16 in four groups.
Is European wild ginger poisonous?
Yes: moderate toxicity to people. Contains aristolochic acid, which damages the kidneys. Do not eat any part of it, despite the name.
Is there a native plant like European wild ginger?
European wild ginger is not native to North America. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:
- Wild ginger: the same job in a bed and the same size; bold leaves, not medium, not evergreen.
- Green-and-gold: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late April to mid June, not evergreen.
- Rock polypody: the same job in a bed and the same size; wants average soil.
Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.
What does European wild ginger look like in winter?
European wild ginger keeps its dark green leaves all winter, so it is one of the plants that hold a bed together from November to March, when the perennials have gone.
More Asarum
- Chinese wild ginger Asarum splendens
- Wild ginger Asarum canadense
In these guides
Every fact on record
- Type
- Perennial (groundcover)
- Size
- 6 in (15 cm) tall, 12 in (30 cm) wide
- Plant
- 10 in (25 cm) apart
- Height class
- Ground-hugging (up to 6 in)
- Place in the bed
- Front
- Flowers
- None: grown for its foliage
- Leaves
- Medium texture, evergreen; dark green
- Shape
- Mat-forming, spreading
- Hardy in
- USDA zones 4 to 7
- Light
- Part shade, shade
- Soil
- Rich, evenly moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Feeding
- Light, in spring
Not yet checked against an outside reference: its figures rest on general horticultural knowledge. Flowering times are for zone 5: later in colder zones, earlier in warmer ones. Toxicity and spread information is a general gardening guide, not veterinary or medical advice, and invasive status varies by region. If a person or pet eats a plant, contact poison control or a vet. Check your local invasive species list before planting anything with a spread warning.