[The Birthwort Family in the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Long-tailed Wild Ginger, Western Wild Ginger, Wild Ginger

Asarum caudatum

Synonym: Asarum caudatum var. caudatum

Characteristics:

The thick, shiny, heart-shaped leaves are evergreen.

Flowers bell-shaped, reddish purple, with long curly but tapered points to the 3 wide petals. The flowers are found under the leaves where they are pollinated by insects.

A trailing plant covering the forest floor. The plants may be as much as 5-20 cm tall.

Uses or Importances:

Roots eaten fresh or dried as a ginger subsitiute.

Tea from foots rids one of stomach pains.

Eating leaves makes one hungry and they may be used as a tuberculosis cure.

Habitat:

Wild ginger is typically found in thick, rich soil of moist, shady woods. It is most common below 4000'. Some individuals may be found in open talus slopes at timberline. These seem to be more tolerant of sunshine.

Range:

Wild ginger is found from British Columbia south to Oregon and east to northern Montana and western Montana.

Wild ginger beginning to bloom along the Tamanawas Falls Trail, Mt. Hood National Forest.........May 24, 2014.

This photo shows a close-up of the attractive heart-shaped leaf of wild ginger as seen along the Wolf Creek Trail in the Umpqua National Forest.......June 26, 2005.

Leaves of wild ginger as seen along the Loowit Trail #216 between upper Sheep Canyon and the South Fork Toutle River crossing, Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument..........October 19, 2014.

Paul Slichter