WILD GINGER CANADIAN Asarum canadense
Not enough positive things can be said about Wild Ginger, as despite it's name, it also grows extremely well in a rural garden setting, and makes an excellent ground cover plant! In early spring, lush-green leaves pop up from the ground, quickly followed by small reddish-brown flowers hidden within the foliage. Leaves are wide and heart-shaped, and spread to form a lush carpet of green. This is ideal ground-cover plant below trees or shrubs. Plants are easy to grow, yet never become invasive, as they slowly spread into their tidy clumps. Grow in or part and regular soil. This plant grows as a woodland perennial in much of North America.
Type: Hardy perennial
Height: 6-8"
Location: or part
Hardiness zones: 3-7
Seeds per pack: 10
Note: Many seeds and plants contain poisonous parts, this included. Please keep these seeds and plants in a safe place.
Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds benefit from a period of moist cold to help them begin to grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (natural or artificial), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:
Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 4-6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.
If you are planting your seeds in late winter or spring, these seeds can be planted outdoors while it is still cool out (once the ground is workable and unfrozen), to receive the cold period naturally in the garden.
