Woodland Spring wildflowers emerge in the warmth and light of the sun, whose rays reach through the branches of the naked trees to spread its golden glow across the forest floor. In the hardwood forest of maples, ash, birches and beech trees, autumn’s tawny leaves carpet the ground as treasured spring ephemerals rise to greet the season.
We walk with care and attention, delighting in each flower seen~ Spring beauties, Blue cohosh, Trout lilies and Trilliums; Wild leeks by a small stream, Toothwort in damp ground. With a bit of luck, we may find Dutchman’s breeches and Squirrel corn blossoming on one of our explores. Before the trees leaf out, there is time and sunlight enough for these woodland “jewels” to emerge, bloom and call in their pollinators to assure their fleeting beauty for the springs to come.
Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense, though not a true ephemeral, as its leaves last through autumn, (spring ephemerals are perennial plants that emerge quickly in the spring and die back to their underground parts after a short growth and reproduction phase.), is a quiet treasure that can easily be overlooked growing so close to the ground that it seems a part of the actual forest floor. One Spring morning many years ago, my husband Don and I led a small group of herb enthusiasts into our local woods to meet some of the medicinal and edible plants that thrived there undisturbed. We came to joyfully learn about and from these native plants.
While carefully stepping our way from the dirt road down to a marshy area to find the elusive Blue cohosh and speak of the traditional ways it has been used, our local forest ranger drove by, parked his truck, stepped out and peered through the woods to see what was happening. Don walked back up to meet him as the group continued to study the newly discovered cohosh we had found. By the time we carefully made our way back to the road, Don and the ranger were in full, friendly conversation, standing under a beautiful mature maple tree which was surrounded by a carpet of Wild Ginger in flower.
After a few introductions, the ranger shared his own curiosity about the woodland plants he had not yet been introduced to. There was one plant in particular his wife was hoping to meet, but to date he had not been able to find. Did we know where he might locate some Wild Ginger plants? With a gleam in his eye and quiet chuckle Don pointed to the plants at the base of the maple ~ “Well Steve, you are standing in them right now!” Steve jumped up so quickly, and looking for a safe place to land decided the roadside was the best spot to place himself. We all smiled in our own understanding of the attention it takes to discern the once unseen, unrecognized woodland plants.
Wild ginger leaves
Here was a sweet teaching and learning moment. Kneeling around the large patch of wild ginger, we brought our attention to this low growing forest plant. The dark green leaves are often described as kidney-shaped; yet some of us see a heart shape, which can also be interpreted as a pelvic shape. In the wild species, the leaves begin as quite soft, losing some of their velvet as they mature. I have found that the deer love to browse the leaves of wild ginger, often eating them down to the ground. Though the deer can safely eat these leaves, humans should avoid them as ingesting them can cause nausea and vomiting, and in one incident that I am aware of severe wretching. Leave the leaves for the deer!
Gathering roots
The slender greenish-brown rhizomes move horizontally across the ground, easy to spot, connecting one plant to another. Over time the wild ginger colony grows, keeping close to the shade of the trees growing in a hardwood forest. The roots are edible, and can be made into a tea or syrup, added to stir fries or used to enhance an herbal formula as a stimulating mover in the digestive, respiratory and circulator systems, improving the action of the other herbs in the formula. In truth, in the few times I have gathered wild ginger roots, I have taken very little, more for learning from this quiet woodland plant and its nature through the wild taste of its potent root ~ which initially awoke something in my heart, calling me into the woods and wild places to discover my own wild nature.
One can carefully gather the rhizomes with a sharp knife, cutting out small portions between the plants, leaving enough rhizome to sustain each plant’s life. In this way, one is respectfully gathering with awareness. In this moment that calls for attention and care, one begins to feel a connection with the plant, the land, the woods and all that resides there. This invisible something enters one’s consciousness as one begins to recognize the life in this plant one is taking a part of. Each person in the group felt this in some way as we were silently, attentively focusing on appreciating the life of each small plant. After gathering one or two small pieces of ginger root, each person quietly stood, feeling fulfilled and connected in a simple and beautiful way. Bringing the fragrant root to our noses, all were delighted with the spicy aroma and next, nibbling a small piece, surprised at the intensity of its wild pungent taste.
Our ranger Steve tucked a piece of the wild root into his shirt pocket to bring home to his wife, bidding us good hiking and findings in the woods he was charged with protecting. As he stepped into his truck he halted for a moment, turned and asked if we were the ones keeping the close by parking area cleaned up. Yes, indeed- he had helpers in caring for this corner of the local woods. Smiling, he waved and left us to our woodland wanderings.
Wild ginger flower
Sitting on the cool spring ground, quietly hidden under a pair of soft green leaves, lays an urn-shaped, dark maroon, three petaled flower. Actually, what appear as petals are really sepals, the outermost part of this cup shaped blossom. Looking inside, one sees a cream-colored light marked by a star like pattern of the same maroon color at the most inner part of this simple and unusual flower. Who pollinates this dark beauty; who is called to her inner “star light”?
It turns out to be woodland beetles, flies and perhaps a wandering bee are the Wild ginger’s visitors. Later in the season, ants help disperse the seeds, carrying them off to their nearby nests where they enjoy the fatty elaiosome, an appendage attached to the seeds, and then “dumping” the seeds outside the nest, in effect planting more wild ginger! What an excellent partnership.
There is much happening on the forest floor that we can only witness by taking time, quieting our minds and settling down on the ground for a closer view and connection with this lively world. The invisible becomes visible. I remember childhood days spending hours laying on the grass, curiously watching life at ground level. Even now, as an adult, I will stretch out on a sunny day to draw a flower, watch the insects do their work, or simply rest~ allowing myself to, as Mary Oliver writes in her poem, Wild Geese, “…let the soft animal of your body love what it loves”, which for me is the most gracious Earth and all the beings we share this home with. (And yes, I do have someone check me for ticks after these meditative forays. It is a good idea after spending time in the woods.)
Wild Ginger flower essence
Years ago, I felt called to make a flower essence of Wild Ginger, having spent time getting to know this lovely, reticent ground cover who softly shades the woodland floor.
I had already planted her close by in our own woods, watched her flower and seen the various pollinators who came courting, later returning for the succulent elaiosomes and seeds. It has become a spring ritual to watch for the first hints of tiny, soft wild ginger leaves, folded in prayer, emerge after snowmelt and in the days to come note the fuzzy flower bud nestled at the base of the leaves open to greet the season~ open and inviting life in!
Wild ginger flower essence offers us the qualities of her quiet presence, shape, gesture and even the woodlands where she resides. Our original description of this flower essence reads:
A simple, ancient guide, inviting us to rekindle our connection with nature, the forest, and all beings. Reminding us that this is our birthright. Brings sense of being grounded and rooted, secure and safe.
After years of working with clients I have added the following:
This is an essence to use when working with First Chakra challenges, sense of belonging, safety and connection with self and family.
For birth trauma of all kinds- forceps, long labor time, cord wrapped around baby’s neck, etc.(In this case for both mom and baby)
For fear and anxiety based on lack of trust- or feeling of helplessness when one is alone yet feeling the need to have someone else there.
To tend deep emotional scarring of the first chakra- softens and resolves over time.
For both heart and first chakra healing when the two are interconnected.
Re-connects when one is always in the head- busy mind- grounds and bring energy back into the body. For soul-retrieval work.
I will be writing about flower essences and chakras more fully in future posts. There are many wonderful sites to visit concerning flower essences. Here are a few of my favorites: www.fesflowers.com and sister site www.flowersociety.org , www.deltagardens.com , www.foxmountain.net , www.greenhopeessences.com.
May the flowers call you, invite you into a sweet and deep healing and remind you of your own unique gifts. Blessed be.
