Happy Wild Ginger

Day 189: My patch of Asarum caudatum (Wild Ginger) is now about 18" on a side, and thick as a high-quality fleece. I didn't feel any pangs of conscience in relocating a few roots when I discovered it on the vacant property next door to mine. After all, I was only moving it about fifty feet, and it is a native species. I just hoped that the location I had picked out for the starts would be to their satisfaction. In fact, they're happier here than they were in the trashy woods, having nothing to compete with them for light or room to expand, although I do have to keep the buttercups in check. Asarum caudatum is second only to Cephalanthera austiniae (Phantom Orchid) on my list of favourite plants. They bloom earlier here in the valley than in the high country where many of the patches are still covered with several feet of snow.

Asarum Caudatum

Day 195: Putting aside the rarities as a category unto themselves, it would be hard for me to say which wildflower is my favourite. However, Asarum caudatum (Wild Ginger, unrelated to true ginger) is certainly close to the top of the list. It took me years to find it because I was looking for flowers held above the leaves, and had I not been hiking a trail which passed beneath a hillside where it was growing at eye level, I might never have thought to look beneath the foliage. Since that first discovery, I've realized that it's more common than I'd imagined. In fact, when I found it growing abundantly in the undeveloped lot next door, I lifted some carefully and transplanted it to my yard. Every year, my little colony has enlarged by a plant or two, and this year, is loaded with those mysterious long-tailed blooms which supply the "caudatum" portion of its Latin name.

I Heart Asarum Caudatum

Day 26: It's been two and a half years since I "lifted" a Wild Ginger plant from the vacant property adjacent to mine, and I am happy to say that it is doing very well and has spread much more than I had expected. It seems to like the spot I chose for it on the west side of the house, close to the foundation where it has a little additional warmth. The spot receives direct sunlight for several hours at mid-day, but is shaded in the afternoon by the tall trees on the same lot. Now, you might think it would be nice to have ginger on demand, but Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) is not related to culinary ginger (Zingiber). The name is derived from the scent of its leaves and roots when crushed.

The Long Way Around

Day 216: The wooded lot adjacent to my property is home to an abundant population of Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum). So abundant is it that a few years back, I decided to try to transplant some to my yard. The plants established in two of the three spots I chose for them and have been steadily spreading. Today I went next door to photograph the unusual flowers and, following a deer trail, cleaned out at least twenty occupied spider webs with my face. My ankles were savaged by trailing blackberry vines, my face scratched by dangling fir twigs as I tried to duck beneath them to get to the thickest ginger patch. When I arrived, I noticed that the leaves were still quite small. Closer examination found buds in the first formative stages, but none fully open. Having made the journey without profit, I forged a shortcut through the tangle to reach my back fence. Over the wire I went...to take a photo of the ginger growing in my very own yard. Sometimes, you just gotta do it the hard way.

Wild Ginger, Asarum Caudatum

Day 225: Wild Ginger is one of my favourite native plants, and a few years ago, I was delighted to discover a substantial population on the undeveloped property immediately adjacent to mine. I successfully transplanted a couple to a similar habitat in my yard, and they are beginning to spread. However, they're not yet in bloom, so I hopped the fence to find an open flower which, I'm sure you'll agree, has a very interesting shape. The long filaments at the tips of the petals are recognized in the plant's Latin name, Asarum caudatum. "Caudatum" means "having a tail." One unvarying question crops up whenever I mention the English name: "Is it edible?" I try to be patient with the people who ask, but I find it extremely annoying. We are adults here, not babies. Why should we want to put everything in our mouths? Can we not appreciate something for its beauty, for its rarity, for its uniqueness without wanting to turn it into food? Perhaps we're not so far removed from primitive Homo as we like to imagine ourselves.

My Very Own Asarum

Day 209: The internet. I refer to it as "the world's largest source of misinformation." Let's use Mr. Vogel and Asarum caudatum as our example. In 1978, Vogel published a paper stating that his "observations covering a period of several years have shown that Asarum caudatum is regularly pollinated by fungus gnats." A few short years later, this was roundly debunked by another botanist, K. Lu, and it might have ended there but for the subsequent development of personal computers and the true villain, the world-wide web. Scores of other scientists have provided abundant evidence that Vogel was talking through his hat, but excerpts from his paper began cropping up on the 'net as soon as it was birthed and spread quite rapidly as harmful invasive species are wont to do. Vogel's kudzu of erroneous information propagated at a phenomenal rate, crowding out the native truths. Sound familiar? I promise you, this is not a political post. We now have a wealth of research to support the hypothesis that Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) is autogamous/allogamous (self-pollinating/cross-pollinating), and that while coincidentally, fungus gnats may lay their eggs in the blossoms, they do not play a significant role in the plant's reproductive processes. And them's the facts. (And thank you, Arnie, for a wealth of reading matter on the subject.)

The Transplant

Day 204: Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) is one of my favourite wildflowers. Now before we go any further, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: I would never ever remove a wildflower from any area where it was scarce or where it was prohibited to do so. However, while I was searching for Trilliums to photograph earlier this year, I found Wild Ginger in abundance...not just a few, but hundreds...on the vacant lot next door to my home. I held a quick conference with my conscience even as my feet were carrying me back to the house for a trowel. We agreed that a minor relocation (less than 100', mind you) was justifiable. I chose a similar ecological niche where I thought it would be comfortable in my yard and, much to my delight, it is not only spreading, but one of the new plants is coming into bloom (lower right, the maroon bell is just beginning to open). The second half of its Latin binomial ("caudatum") refers to the long tails exhibited by the flower's three lobes. When fully open, the tails will extend two or three inches beyond the central cup.

Wild Ginger

Day 140: As an amateur botanist, I am sometimes faced with having to identify a plant which is not in bloom. Leaf shape and arrangement (opposite or alternate) are good starting points, but from there, it gets a little more involved. Does the leaf clasp the stem? Is it fuzzy, and if so, is it fuzzy on both the top and bottom? What about the leaf margins (edges)? Are they smooth, serrated, incised? Is the stem round or angular? Determination of these and other factors can distinguish one species from another, the operative word in the sentence being "can" as opposed to "will." Fortunately, Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) is pretty distinctive and since it is one of my favourite wildflowers, I recognize it easily even from twenty feet away. "Oh!" said I, "Look at what I found!" I was not expecting to see it on my hike yesterday, so it took me somewhat by surprise. In fact, I found it in three locations, the third at least half a mile distant from the other two, and on property where (if I were of a mind to) I would be allowed to "lift" a root for transplant to my yard. For now, I've placed it on my mental map so that I can return when its exotic, long-tailed flowers emerge. See ya later, Gingie!

Wild Ginger, Asarum Caudatum

Day 238: One of my favourite wildflowers, Asarum caudatum is another species with a misleading common name: Wild Ginger. It is in no way related to true ginger, Zingiber officinale, although if crushed, the leaves give off a ginger-like scent. The "caudatum" portion of its botanical binomial refers to the three tail-like appendages at the tips of the calyx. The flowers are generally concealed beneath the leaves, not noticeable in the broad overview. Although the plants occasionally form seed pods, their primary means of reproduction is rhizomatous, i.e., it forms runners underground and often develops into thick mats in ideal habitat. Its plant associations include most of the evergreen trees found in the Park, and it can be found to 3000' elevation although it is somewhat uncommon.

Wild, Wacky Wild Ginger

Day 250: Perhaps my favourite blossom from the wealth of wildflowers growing in Mount Rainier National Park, Wild Ginger's inflorescence is not easy to spot. Its heart-shaped leaves form a roof above the flowers, hiding them from the eye-line of the casual observer. I had searched for them for many years, walking right past until one day, I happened across a colony on an incline six feet above trail level. "Wild Ginger!" I shouted to the general environment, and from that day forth (now that I knew what to look for), I began seeing the leaves of plant in more and more places even after the blossoms had faded.

The name "Wild Ginger" is misleading. Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) is not related to true ginger (Zingiber officinale). The unfortunate nomenclature invariably leads to a pet-peeve question from visitors: "Is it edible?" Its common name derives from the lemony-gingery scent of the crushed leaves and/or roots. It should not be consumed because it contains potential carcinogens and other toxins which may harm the kidneys. You have grocery stores, people. Some of them even specialize in "natural" foods as good as any you'll find in the wild. You don't need to eat a wildflower or fungus just because it's there.

Wild Ginger

Day 238: The common name "Wild Ginger" is one of those things which drive botanists crazy. Asarum caudatum is not related to culinary ginger, although when crushed, its roots and leaves give off a smell reminiscent of the spice. Its elusive flowers are difficult to spot unless your eyes are at ground level. They hide beneath the plant's foliage! Technically, the true flower of this Asarum is the structure at the center of the reddish-maroon sepal tube, and as is the case with other members of the family, it gives off a slightly less-than-pleasant scent. The odor attracts gnats and small flies, the primary pollinators of the species.

Asarum Caudatum, Wild Ginger

Day 198: What began as two friends planning an outing to witness Corallorhiza trifida at a single location developed into a field trip for four and some serious botanizing. Maggie Webster and I had scheduled a short excursion for the morning, but when Yonit and Leon Yogev called to say they were in the area, I suggested that they might like to join us for what could well be a once-in-a-decade observation of the rare Corallorhiza. The trip was rather loosely organized, and Yonit and Leon eventually tracked Maggie and me down at a secondary spot, one at which I had found the species last year but not yet in 2016. By the time they arrived, Maggie and I had located five more specimens. To her delight, Yonit found a sixth we had overlooked. Meanwhile, Leon was engaged in learning about lower-forest trees and how to differentiate spruce from fir by examining the shape and texture of the needles.

The Yogevs left us at that point, and Maggie and I continued up the road (partly on foot) to investigate a report of a washout, clambering through the section of collapsed roadbed and going a little further on. At our turnaround point, we discovered Wild Ginger in bloom. It is one of my favourite wildflowers. The unusual flowers of this low-growing plant are concealed beneath its heart-shaped leaves. Each blossom bears three long "tails," as described in its scientific name, Asarum caudatum.

On the return hike, I was pleased to discover several nice colonies of Pilophorus acicularis (Devil's Matchstick Lichen) near the washout. This find was perhaps the "youngest" incidence of P. acicularis I have spotted to date, colonization having occurred less than 20 years from the time the rock was exposed.

Asarum Caudatum, Wild Ginger

Day 220: Among all of Mount Rainier's wildflowers, Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum, aka Long-Tailed Ginger) has one of the oddest and most elusive blossoms of all. Borne close to the ground, the three petals with their long, thready tails conceal themselves beneath heart-shaped leaves as if sheltering from a storm. From tip to tip, the flower may span four inches, but it is not easy to spot. It is better to learn to recognize the leaf and hairy stem, and to keep a record of where you have observed the plant so you can return when you think it will be in bloom. Flowering generally occurs in early June, but warm temperatures have brought them out early. A moisture lover, you'll find this exotically beautiful plant along the banks of mountain springs. This photo was taken in the Longmire area.

Long-Tailed Ginger, Asarum Caudatum

Day 243: It's easy to see how Long-Tailed Ginger got its common name. Also known simply as Wild Ginger, Asarum caudatum's flower is one of the most distinctive to be found in Mount Rainier National Park, but it is also one of the most elusive, evading wildflower enthusiasts' cameras by hiding beneath lightly hairy, heart-shaped leaves. It grows throughout the forested zones, preferring moist banks and partial shade. The leaves and stems give off an aroma of ginger when broken, but please content yourself with visual observation of this most unusual flower. Look for the blossoms from mid-May to late June (sometimes into July).