Canadian wild ginger makes a slowly spreading carpet of heart-shaped leaves, useful as seasonal ground cover beneath trees.
- Height
- 15–31 cm / 0.5–1 ft
- Spread
- 10–16 cm / 0.3–0.5 ft
- Light
- Shade / Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Moist, well-drained
- Flowering
- Spring
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Low
- USDA zones
- 4a–6b
Planting
Plant in light to deep shade with consistently moist soil rich in organic matter. A woodland border or shaded rain garden suits it better than a dry tree base.
Care
Maintain moisture during dry weather, as drought tolerance is poor. Let the rhizomes gradually fill the space, and check for slug or snail damage to the leaves.
Before planting: Leaves, roots and stems are toxic; choose its position with access by children and pets in mind.
Planting Canadian wild ginger?
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Sources & photo credit
Plant reference: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Content checked . Flowering seasons vary with local climate; USDA zones describe winter cold tolerance.
- Canadian wild ginger: Kathy Sill · CC BY 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Heartleaf wild ginger: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Barrenwort: Peter coxhead · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Bearberry: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.