Asarum europaeum, also known as Asarabacca, European Wild Ginger, Haselwort, and Wild Spikenard, is a European species of wild ginger.
It is a native of Europe is found in W. Asia, Virginia, Ohio, and New York.
It is a perennial plant growing to 0.1m by 0.5m, consisting of a very
short fleshy stem, bearing two large, dark-green, kidney-shaped evergreen
leaves, and a solitary purplish-green drooping flower.
The rounded glossy leaves of this low carpeting ginger make it an ideal
groundcover for a woodland setting. The evergreen foliage hides the odd,
bell-shaped flowers which turn brown as they age. Shiny, rounded leaves
are nicely etched by their pale yellow veins.
The stems are 10-15 cm long. The leaves are petiolate and reniform and
about 10 cm wide. It occurs mostly in deciduous woodland or coniferous
forests. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to August.
Flowers are inconspicuous, small, hidden away under the leaves. They are
hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and bloom in spring.
It prefers a rich moist neutral to acid soil with very high moisture
content. It prefers a bit acidic soil, the pH ranging from 6.1 to 6.5. It
is suitable for bogs and water gardens. It can grow in full shade (deep
woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). The root has a pungent, aromatic
smell like mild pepper and ginger mixed, but more strongly aromatic.
The flowers are malodorous and are pollinated by flies. It blooms from
late spring to summer. The seed heads should be allowed to dry on the
plant and then should be removed and collected.
Plants are slow to increase. It is best to pot the divisions up and keep
them in light shade in the greenhouse until they are growing away
strongly.
The root of the plant and the leaves are used.
The root and leaves are acrid and contain a volatile oil, a bitter matter, and a substance like camphor. An essential oil in the root contains 50% asarone and is 65% more toxic than peppermint oil.