Asarum maximum Giant

Asarum maximum 'Giant', also known as Giant Wild Ginger, is a rare Chinese species with splendid glossy foliage, blending two shades of green and marbled with silver, whose icy surface reflects a surprising metallic sheen. This shade-loving perennial hides a nest of round, bi-coloured flowers beneath its ample foliage in spring, with a dark purple almost-black colour and large white spots, emitting a curious mushroom scent. Its heart-shaped leaves are evergreen and form sumptuous ground cover in light woodland and cool soil.

Sometimes called Wild Ginger due to the spicy and lemony fragrance that can be detected by crushing its leaves or roots, Asarum maximum 'Giant' is a species endemic to China, belonging to the Aristolochiaceae family, with no connection to ginger. While its cousins, Dutchman's pipes, climb the branches of trees in tropical or Mediterranean regions, 'Giant' wild ginger spreads out in the shade of the undergrowth, forming a 15 cm (6 in) high carpet and spreading thanks to its rhizomatous roots. Its evergreen leaves resemble those of cyclamens. They are 15 cm (6 in) long, heart-shaped, and grow in tufts near the ground. Completely marbled and spotted with bright green, darker green, and silver, their epidermis beautifully reflects light. Between March and May, relatively large bell-shaped flowers appear near the ground, fascinating but somewhat hidden under the leaves. They have three highly contrasting petals, almost black-purple, highlighted by a large white basal spot.

Reaching just over 15 cm (6 in) in height, 'Giant' wild ginger makes an excellent ground cover in the undergrowth. It appreciates shady exposures and cool humus-rich soils in summer, as well as well-drained soil, and pairs beautifully with other shade-loving perennials, such as Sanguinaria, Achimenes, Syneilesis, and Rohdea, or ferns. It is a hardy plant, and its foliage remains evergreen even in very low temperatures, especially under a thick blanket of snow. It can easily be grown in a pot to be admired up close and to closely monitor attacks from gastropods.