Wild Harvest Tour Exclusive
This post is based on something we encountered on the June Wild Harvest Tour. Little Brown Jug is a native wild plant that was too pretty to pass up. Check my YouTube channel in a few weeks to see the official video about this native evergreen plant. The Facebook Page for the Tour can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Sandhills-Wild-Harvest-61557940700225/
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| In its native environment Little Brown Jug is a pretty humble perennial plant. It could be mistaken for Green Briar, Violets or a number of plants, but the slow rate of growth and its lack of visible stems, flowers or other features indicate it's something special. |
Common Name: Little Brown Jug
Other Common Names: Arrowhead Wild Ginger, Heartleaf Ginger, Heartleaf Wild Ginger, Wild Ginger
Botanical Family: Aristolochiaceae (The Birthwort Family)
Botanical Latin Name: Asarum arifolium
Description & Habitat: Little brown Jug is a native woodland plant that is evergreen and perennial. Its common name comes from the jug-shaped flowers that are borne low to the ground and are pollinated by ground-dwelling beetles. This plant will appear in clumps with rounded heart shaped leaves that resemble a variety of other species, there are no visible stems on this plant as the leaves and their petioles emerge from a creeping rhizome. Little Brown Jug’s petioles are dark green and may sometimes have a reddish tinge to them. The leaves are typically a dark or medium green color and may have liter whitish-green markings. This plant can be found in forested areas of North Carolina across the state and is often seen poling through the leaf litter of the forest floor. As a cultivated perennial it is often found in use as a natural and native ground cover that does not have any known invasive tendencies. It will tolerate damage from deer, rabbits and will withstand heat and drought conditions. In the wild forage trade it is wise to try and positively identify this plant as its relatives are more harmful when internally taken compared to Little Brown Jug. This is not to say that Little Brown Jug is safe for consumption because according to several credible sources it can cause kidney damage.
Botanical Latin synonyms for this plant include Hexastylis arifolia and Asarum grandiflorum.
When & What to Harvest: Although some traditional medicine references list this plant as useful as a Diuretic, Expectorant and an Analgesic, the risk of kidney damage from consumption of this plant is more than enough that I do not recommend harvesting this plant for medicinal or culinary use. Using it as a native ground cover in shady areas is an option however.
Poisonous Lookalikes: none
Related Edible Species: None are known.
Recipe: Not applicable.
Additional Information: (If applicable)
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/asarum-arifolium/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexastylis_arifolia
With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog. In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.
For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.
Soil Amendment Products (New!)
Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag
Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag
Garden Plants
Cutleaf Coneflower, Large
Cutleaf Coneflower, Medium
Spanish Bayonet
Marigold, Naughty Marietta – Yellow
Marigold, Naughty Marietta – Orange
Madagascar Periwinkle, Blackberry
Madagascar Periwinkle, Cranberry
Salvia, Victoria
Zinnia, All American Mix
Coming Soon:
American Aloe
Spineless Prickly Pear
How to stay in Contact with Us!
Our group’s online presence has migrated to Nextdoor.com. All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.
Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville
Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:
The Videos: Look Here
>Newest videos (1): Northern Sea Oats
Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is July 6th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
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