Monday, May 12, 2008

If You Like Spotted Flowers...

The foliage of some of the evergreen gingers can get a little ratty looking with our winters here in Iowa, especially if there is poor snow cover. However Asarum minor (a native of the SE United States) snaps its fingers at winter, and always looks great. It looks even better when its large, spotted flowers appear in spring. With many of the gingers you about have to dig around at the base of the plant to find the flowers. Asarum minor is kind of unique in that you can actually see the flowers when you're just walking by on the path. If I were to have only one ginger, this would be it. I should mention that its growth rate is also just about perfect: some gingers like the deciduous ones are quite rampant, and very difficult to weed out; some of the Asian evergreen gingers just sit there and never seem to grow. Asarum minor's growth is like the third bear... just right.
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// posted by IBOY @ 6:33 AM
Comments:
Spot always melt my heart a bit. I'm a big sucker for toad lilies and this ginger might be next on my list.

Ted
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : May 12, 2008
 
Nancy... it's definitely different!

tedb... it's a nice toadie companion.

Don
# posted by Blogger IBOY : May 12, 2008
 
Let me jump on the ginger bandwagon too! I thought immediately of Toad Lilies as well ... so they make good companions? We may have to consider adding one amongst them and the Trilliums. Do you know of good sources in IA or is this a search the net type acquisition? (Still lusting after the Epimediums!)
# posted by Blogger Iowa Victory Gardener : May 12, 2008
 
I only have one variety of wild ginger (native) that my aunt MEA (91 yrs old and still gardening!) gave me. I'm so fortunate that she's a wonderful gardener!!! (My heroine!)
Anyway, this spotted ginger looks, and sounds, ideal. I would echo the question of ivg as to where to find it. (And I'm still lusting after epimediums as well!) lol. :-)
# posted by Blogger Shady Gardener : May 13, 2008
 
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