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.