FAMILY:  BIRTHWORT

SPECIES:  ASARUM

COMMON NAMES:  Snakeroot, heartweed, Indian ginger

HABITAT:  Low growing rich woods

GROWING SEASON:  April-May

PLANT SIZE:  6-12 in.

DESCRIPTION:  Hairy, two heart shaped leaves, and a small dark reddish brown flower that you can barely see.

USES:  Wild ginger is used in folk medicine as tonic. It helps fevers and can cause cancer.  Indians used it to flavor food, and some people use it to flavor candy.  You can make sugar syrup too.

FOLKLORE:  It is called wild ginger because of the ginger like smell in the roots.