The soft, downy, heart-shaped leaves of the wild ginger can often be seen near streams, in beds or colonies. The leaves occur in pairs each leaf four to seven inches across. They rise directly from the rhizome to attain a height rarely more than a foot above ground.

I have found this exquisite plant blooming as early as February in coastal B.C. The unique but inconspicuous flower is found at the crotch of the two leaf stems, and is composed of three, petal-like lobes that are rich reddish brown (maybe maroon) in color, the flower dangles from a short, flaccid stem that can barely keep it off the ground. Sometimes the flower blooms while buried under leafy humus and must be uncovered to be seen. The fruit that follows is a fleshy six-celled capsule.

It is truly a blessing that in our cool, northern latitude we have a plant with the same taste and aroma as culinary ginger (Zingiber officinale) however, botanically, the two 'gingers' are not related.

Like so many of our native plants wild ginger has been seriously over-harvested and its remaining habitat is threatened by both logging and other industrial development. Since the roots are quite shallow and grow in rich loose soil, they are easily damaged. Consequently, this delicate woodland plant needs our protection.

Seeds and plants are available through Richters in Goodwood, Ontario and I've seen it listed on several sites on the internet. Wild ginger will grow in our climate (with a lot of TLC). They form spectacular mats of deep green, kidney-shaped leaves with attractive contours.

According to botanist Diana Beresford: The plants can be grown from seed or rhizome cuttings, in pots or outside, and should be planted during early to late fall. Plant the seeds 3 mm below the soil surface and cover with a handful of leaves. For rhizomes, mix a small handful of dolomitic lime with soil and plant 6mm below the surface. For mass planting, all rhizomes should point in the same direction. In woodland or garden settings, space the rhizome about 30 cm south or southwest from the trunk of a tree. Choose an earth triangle between spreading tree roots if possible, for both seeds and rhizomes. Space rhizomes or young plants about 10 cm apart and do not disturb.