Practical
Plants

Asarum canadense

Snake Root

a perennial deciduous member of the Asarum genus in the family Aristolochiaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Asarum
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Growth rate
slow
Height
0.1 m
Spread
0.5 m
Fertility
Flies
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Flies

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves are poisonous[7]. Handling the leaves is said to cause dermatitis in some people[19].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The underground stem and the flowers are used as a ginger substitute[9][24][2][5][6]. The root, especially when quite dry, has a pungent, aromatic smell like mild pepper and ginger mixed, but more strongly aromatic[17]. The root is best harvested in autumn but is available all year round[4]. It can be dried for later use[4].

Product or use
Condiment

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Snake root was widely employed as a medicinal herb by a number of native North American tribes who used it to treat a wide range of ailments[18]. It is still occasionally used in modern herbalism. The root is anthelmintic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, irritant, powerfully stimulant, stomachic and tonic[21][13][23][10][16][18]. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[21]. It is used in the treatment of chronic chest complaints, asthma, coughs, colds, dropsy, painful spasms of the bowels and stomach, scant or painful menstruation, infantile convulsions[21][18]. The fresh leaves are applied as a poultice to wounds and inflammations, whilst a decoction or salve is applied to sores[18]. The root contains antibiotic substances effective against broad-spectrum bacteria and fungi[11]. It also contains aristolochic acid, which has antitumor activity[15]. The root and rhizome were slowly boiled in a small quantity of water for a long time and the resulting liquid drunk as a contraceptive by the women of one N. American Indian tribe[14].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Antibiotic
Product or use
Antitumor
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Contraceptive
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Irritant
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The slightly roasted root can be ground into a powder and then sprinkled onto clothing for perfume[18]. A useful ground cover for a shady position so long as it is not dry[8], spreading by its roots[12].

Product or use
Incense

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Soil surface

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Manitoba to New Brunswick, south to N. Carolina and Kansas.
Habitat
Moist rich soils in woodlands, usually on calcareous soils[22][4]. Understorey of deciduous (rarely coniferous) forests from sea level to 1300 metres[20].
Light
partial sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 2+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the summer[3]. Stored seed will require 3 weeks cold stratification and should be sown in late winter[3]. The seed usually germinates in the spring in 1 - 4 or more weeks at 18°c[3]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out when large enough in late spring. Division in spring or autumn. Plants are slow to increase[10]. It is best to pot the divisions up and keep them in light shade in the greenhouse until they are growing away strongly.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a rich moist neutral to acid soil in woodland or a shady position in the rock garden[1][10]. Plants are found on alkaline soils in the wild[22]. Plants are hardy to at least -25°c[10]. The flowers are malodorous and are pollinated by flies[10]. Plants often self-sow when growing in a suitable position[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

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  3. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  7. Stary. F. Poisonous Plants. Hamlyn 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-600-35666-3

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  8. Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-304-31089-1

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  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

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  12. Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1

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  13. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

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  14. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

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  15. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

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  16. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

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  17. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  18. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  19. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

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  20. Flora of N. America http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/

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  21. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  23. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  24. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

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