Native to the ravine slopes and stream hollows of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic, Asarum virginicum is one of those rare plants that performs entirely through its foliage — and does so year-round. The heart-shaped leaves, often marked with silver or grey tracery on deep green, spread slowly into a dense mat no more than 8 inches high. Its flowers are there if you look for them, hidden beneath the foliage close to the ground in spring, small and brownish-purple with a strange beauty that rewards the patient observer. This is a plant with no interest in showmanship.

In cultivation, Virginia heartleaf asks for conditions that match its woodland origins: moist, organic-rich, acidic soil and reliable shade. It will not tolerate drought or prolonged flooding, but in a humus-rich bed beneath deciduous trees, it spreads quietly and companionably without becoming a nuisance. The variegated selections, with their more pronounced silver patterning, offer more visual interest in darker corners. Plant it in drifts near the front of a shaded border, where its low, jewel-box beauty will not be obscured by taller neighbours, and let it do its slow, reliable work.