Asarum maximum Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Panda face ginger

Asarum maximum

£21.99
Very hardyShade-tolerantEvergreen
Pot size
19cm / 3L £21.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Asarum maximum, the panda face ginger, is a slow-spreading evergreen for shade with glossy, heart-shaped leaves marbled in silver. In March and April it opens black and white, three-lobed flowers that sit half hidden beneath the leaves.

Rated RHS H6, it is hardy throughout the UK down to -15°C and keeps its leaves through winter. Slugs on the new spring leaves and summer drought are bigger risks than cold.

It forms low ground cover about 15cm tall and 30cm across in partial to full shade, and suits shady borders and pots on a shaded patio. See our other Asarum for another wild ginger.

What you receive: a plant in a 19cm, 3 litre pot.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Panda face ginger

Give me sun with a little shade and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Panda face ginger

Asarum maximum needs partial shade or full shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Pots & Containers Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H6 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −20°C

RHS H6, hardy throughout the UK to -15°C, and evergreen where hardy. Sources disagree on its exact hardiness, so give plants in pots extra protection in winter. Remove tired or damaged leaves in early spring. More tough choices among our hardy perennials.

Position

Partial shadeFull shade

Partial to full shade. It is a natural fit at the front of a shady border or under shrubs, alongside our other plants for shade.

Soil

ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Moist but well-drained soil; clay, loam or sand are all fine, at any pH. Do not let it dry out in summer.

Watering

Keep moist and do not let it dry out in summer. Protect the new spring leaves from slugs. Read moreShow less

Keep moist and do not let it dry out in summer. Protect the new spring leaves from slugs.

Mature size

Height0.15 m
Spread0.3 m

Growth habit

Spreading/groundcover

Flowering

Spring · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

No pruning needed. Remove tired or damaged leaves in early spring.

Toxicity

Toxic if eaten (RHS), including to pets. Asarum species contain aristolochic acid. Wear gloves when handling.

Native range

China (Sichuan and Hubei)

Family

Aristolochiaceae

Also known as

Asarum maximum

Genus

Asarum
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does Asarum maximum get?

It stays low: around 15cm tall, spreading slowly to about 30cm across as ground cover.

How do I care for Asarum maximum?

Plant it in partial to full shade in moist but well-drained soil, and keep it from drying out in summer. Protect the new spring leaves from slugs. No pruning is needed; just remove tired or damaged leaves in early spring. It also does well in pots in a shaded spot.

Is Asarum maximum hardy?

The RHS rates it H6, hardy throughout the UK to -15°C, and it stays evergreen where hardy. Some sources rate it less hardy, so give plants in pots extra winter protection.

When does Asarum maximum flower?

In March and April. The flowers are black with a white centre and three lobes, sitting low and half hidden under the leaves.

Is Asarum maximum poisonous?

Yes. It is toxic if eaten, including to pets, as Asarum species contain aristolochic acid. Wear gloves when handling it.

Is Asarum maximum the same as 'Ling Ling'?

'Ling Ling' is a named cultivar of Asarum maximum and is what most UK sellers offer. This is the species itself. Its common names are panda face ginger and panda face wild ginger, and it is native to Sichuan and Hubei in China. Compare our other Asarum.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Asarum maximum
£21.99