It is commonly found on moist, wooded slopes. Wild ginger often forms large colonies on the forest floor. A single flower is borne close to the ground and is often covered by plant debris on the soil surface. The flower is bell-shaped and maroon to brown in color. May. The common name, wild ginger, refers to the spicy, ginger-like aroma produced when the leaves or rhizomes are crushed.
Wild ginger prefers moist soils that contain large amounts of organic matter.
Sites in partial to deep shade are best. Use wild ginger as a groundcover or edging plant. Dutchman's breeches are found throughout the state in moist woodlands. May. The common name, Dutchman's breeches, comes from the flower's resemblance to a pair of Dutch pantaloons. Four to ten white, pant-shaped flowers hang upside down from an arching flower stalk.