Height: 10–30 cm. Flowers: maroon, bell-shaped, borne on short white-haired stalks. Bloom: early to mid spring. Exposure: shade to part shade. Soil: humus-rich, average to moist. Growth: spreads by shallow rhizomes (edible, ginger-flavoured). Companions: foamflower, early meadow rue, wild blue phlox, trillium, bloodroot.

Wild ginger has attractive, heart-shaped foliage and makes an excellent, low-growing spreading groundcover for shady gardens. Its small, reddish-brown flowers are held close to the soil and attract flies and beetles, while ants help disperse the seeds by carrying off the nutrient-rich elaiosomes.