asarum

[ as-er-uhm ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Chemistry.

the dried rhizome and roots of wild ginger that yield an acrid resin and a volatile, aromatic oil, used chiefly as a flavoring.

asarum

/ ˈæsərəm /

the dried strong-scented root of the wild ginger plant: a flavouring agent and source of an aromatic oil used in perfumery, formerly used in medicine

Discover More

Origin of asarum¹

< Latin < Greek ásaron hazelwort, wild spikenard

Discover More

Origin of asarum¹

C19: via New Latin from Latin: hazelwort, from Greek asaron

Discover More

True ginger must not be confounded with "wild ginger," which is a small herbaceous plant (Asarum canadense) of the United States.

The long, slender rhizomes of Asarum have a pungent, aromatic taste similar to ginger.

It is probably a mixture of asarum-camphor and some partially oxidised volatile oil.

It also feeds upon wild ginger or Asarum and probably upon other plants.

Browse