also know as Canadian Snakeroot, Asarum canadense. This herb's culinary use is as a substitute for ginger, Zingiber officinale. The creeping rhizome is the part of the plant that is used. The rhizomes are very delicate and slow growing. They do have a wonderful landscape use in shady areas as a ground cover or in a wildflower garden. Their heart-shaped leaves hug the ground and those tiny, white flowers with magenta hoods are beautiful in mid-spring, see photo at right. Grow them near your vegetable garden because of their edible quality. The Spanish name for this plant is asaro or sometimes serpentaria. Add it to your collection, you'll be glad you did.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Wild Ginger
also know as Canadian Snakeroot, Asarum canadense. This herb's culinary use is as a substitute for ginger, Zingiber officinale. The creeping rhizome is the part of the plant that is used. The rhizomes are very delicate and slow growing. They do have a wonderful landscape use in shady areas as a ground cover or in a wildflower garden. Their heart-shaped leaves hug the ground and those tiny, white flowers with magenta hoods are beautiful in mid-spring, see photo at right. Grow them near your vegetable garden because of their edible quality. The Spanish name for this plant is asaro or sometimes serpentaria. Add it to your collection, you'll be glad you did.
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2 comments:
Are the purple things the flowers? They look like stapeliad blooms. Very cool.
btw, I'm in Chicago too.
Hello fellow Chicago gardener! Yes, the purple things are flowers and they do have an orchid-like look to them. Too bad one has to get on their tummy to see them.
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