Asarum caulescens

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Common products:
Live plants of Asarum caulescens are offered by specialist nurseries as ornamental groundcovers. The product is sold in pots or as bare‑root divisions intended for garden planting in shaded, woodland or naturalistic settings. Plants typically cover 0.5–1 m² when mature and are used for low‑maintenance, evergreen groundcover, erosion control on slopes and as container specimens for patios or shade gardens.

Industrial and craft applications:
Cultivation of A. caulescens is a component of the ornamental horticulture industry, employed in landscape design for shade gardens, mixed‑border plantings, native‑species restoration projects and green‑roof or woodland‑restoration schemes. The species is also propagated by division for horticultural research on rhizomatous growth, shade tolerance and low‑maintenance landscaping techniques. In scientific contexts, sequences from A. caulescens are incorporated into molecular systematic studies of Aristolochiaceae, serving as a voucher taxon in phylogenies based on nuclear ITS and plastid markers (e.g., Nakai et al., 2016). Its inclusion provides comparative data for understanding evolutionary relationships within the family and contributes to broader comparative genomics efforts targeting the evolution of aromatic phenylpropanoids.

Properties relevant to use:
The plant exhibits a low, spreading habit with evergreen, cordate leaves that persist year‑round in shaded habitats. Its rhizomatous growth system allows rapid ground coverage and facilitates easy propagation by division. Chemically, foliage and rhizomes contain aromatic phenylpropanoids such as asarone, methyl eugenol and related compounds, which produce a characteristic scent when leaves are crushed and are of interest to fragrance research. After establishment the species shows moderate drought tolerance and requires minimal fertilization, supporting low‑maintenance plantings.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Asarum caulescens is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that wild populations are stable throughout its native range in Japan, Korea and parts of China. Commercial supply is met primarily through cultivated propagation, reducing pressure on natural habitats. The species is not listed under CITES and its horticultural trade complies with regional plant‑health and quarantine regulations (e.g., Japan’s Plant Quarantine Law and Korea’s Agricultural Plant Export Certification), ensuring that cultivated material meets biosecurity standards while providing a sustainable source for the ornamental market.

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No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

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