Asarum hartwegii

Habit: low growing evergreen perennial from shallow ginger scented rhizomes.  Hartweg’s ginger forms small mounds of dark green leaves that are heart shaped with white marbling along the major veins and hair along the leaf margins. The solitary flower is hairy and produced underneath the leaves usually near the ground on a short peduncle. This flower has no petals, instead sepals are fused near the bottom forming a greenish, maroon striped tube that opens up with three paler striped lobes curving backward and ending in prominent long tips. The fruit is a fleshy capsule producing numerous seeds. Blooms spring to early summer. Leaves have a lemon/ginger fragrance.

Ecology: native to California, as well as Southern Oregon, found on dry rocky slopes and open forests, at elevations of 500-8000 ft (150-2500m).

Growing Conditions: partial shade in well-drained moist, humus rich soil.