Glossy, mottled leaves are the main attraction of this woodland  groundcover; the unusual, jug-shaped flowers are hidden beneath the foliage. Little brown jugs (no relation to the famous Delaware county plow-horse-turned-pacer that set a world record in 1881) is a low-growing perennial wildflower known for its leathery, arrowhead-shaped leaves with dark green veins and margins. During spring, the visually textured foliage glows against the surrounding leaf litter, which must be brushed aside to view the miniature urns constructed of fused sepals. The green-and-white mottling of the evergreen leaves turns dark purple to nearly black as the leaves age.
 
Little brown jugs thrives in the consistently moist soils of woodlands, where it grows in scattered, slow-growing clusters. It does best when it receives a few hours of dappled sunlight each day, but the leaves show signs of distress when they receive too much direct sun. In full shade, growth is slower and the mottling of the leaves is much fainter.   
 
Although not specifically native to Ohio, little brown jugs is found in the southeastern US as far north as Kentucky and Virginia. Like wild ginger (Asarum canadense), which also has green, heart-shaped leaves and hidden flowers, little brown jugs belongs to the Birthwort family (Aristolochiacease). Both species have roots that smell similar to ginger (heartleaf ginger is another common name for little brown jugs), and early settlers used the rhizomes as a substitute for the popular spice. The leaves of little brown jugs have a root-beer-like aroma due to the presence of safrole, a compound that is also found in sassafras. 
 
Native habitats include moist or dry woods, deciduous or pine woods, and swamp forests. Ideal planting sites include woodlands, shade gardens, and areas under canopy trees or next to structures that provide shade most of the day. The plant requires little attention other than keeping it from drying out, and it's easily propagated by division in late spring or fall.
 
Plant Characteristics:
Grows 4-8" tall and 12-24" wide.
 
Prefers dappled light or part shade. Tolerates full shade with less growth and fewer markings. Intolerant of direct afternoon sun.
 
Prefers medium to moist, well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soils.
 
Thick sepals form an urn-shaped, brown to reddish brown calyx tube (there are no petals) with pointed tips. The urn contains 12 stamens and a superior or partly inferior ovary with 6 styles. Flower gives way to fruit capsule.
 
Alternate, simple leaves are up to 8" long with smooth margins.
 
Reproductive System: flower contains both male and female parts (perfect/bisexual), but the structure doesn't allow for easy self-pollination. Insects provide the service within each individual flower.
 
Wildlife Value:
The flowers are pollinated by ground-dwelling beetles and other invertebrates. Resistant to deer, but some animals may browse the plant. 
 
Medicinal, Edible, and Other Uses:
Indigenous people used root extracts and leaf infusions to treat heart and lung conditions and stomach pain. They also used the roots as a flavoring.
 
Resources:
Lady Bird Johnsons Wildflower Center: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=hear6
 
Picture This: https://www.picturethisai.com/care/Hexastylis_arifolia.html
 
South Carolina Native Plant Society: https://scnps.org/plants/hexastylis-arifolia/
 
Southern Piedmont Natural History: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1128958795940972&set=a.466881652148693
 
VA Native Plant Society: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1143&context=biology-faculty-publications#:~:text=Since%20Peattie's%20article%2C%20a%20few,for%20easy%20direct%20self%2Dpollination
 
World Plant List: https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000550763