Join the RHS

Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search
Back to search results

Asarum europaeum

asarabacca

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
RHS Plant Shop from £8.99 Sold by 46 nurseries

  • Other common names asarabacca
    foalfoot

    foal's foot
    hazelwort
    wild ginger
    wild nard

    see more

  • Family Aristolochiaceae

  • Genus Asarum are evergreen or deciduous, rhizomatous perennials forming a mat of long-stalked, heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves, sometimes with attractive silver mottling, and curious flowers consisteng of a 3-lobed calyx, often in "earthy" colours. They are commonly referred to as wild gingers (they are not culinary gingers) but are so-called because their rhizomes have a similar spicy scent

  • Details A. europaeum is a creeping, evergreen perennial forming carpets of kidney-shaped, glossy, dark green leaves. The green, then purple, flowers are hidden under the foliage

  • Plant range W Europe

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Mat forming

  • Fragrance Flower

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Shade

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained

  • SoilClay, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Up to 10 cm

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Likes woodland conditions - a humus-rich, moist but well-drained, acid to neutral soil and full to partial shade

Propagation Propagate by seed sown in containers as soon as ripe, or divide in early spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types Underplanting of Roses and Shrubs Garden Edging Ground Cover

How to care

Pruning No pruning needed

Pests Slugs and snails can be a problem especially in spring

Diseases Generally trouble free

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

RHS Plants Shop

Asarum europaeum

asarabacca

Buy from £8.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £8.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.