Asarum canadense (commonly known as Canada wild ginger or woodland ginger) is a low-growing, shade-loving herbaceous perennial native to the eastern woodlands of North America. It is widely prized by gardeners as an exceptionally tough, dense ground cover for deeply shaded landscapes.

It grows 6-12" tall and features a pair of large, velvety heartshaped to kidney-shaped dark green leaves that can reach up to 6 inches.

In the spring, a single, cup-shaped purplish-brown or dark red flower blooms right at ground level from the crotch of the leaf stems.  These flowers have no pletals and are usually hidden from view beneath the leaves.  These flowers are primarily pollinated by ants, beetles, and flies.  Ants carry the seeds back to their colonies to consume a nutritious, fleshy appendage called an elaiosome, and then discard the actual seed underground, thus helping the plant propagate itself.

It prefers full shade to partial shade and rich, moist, organic well draining soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.

Host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail.