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A perennial and evergreen, poisonous medicinal plant, 5–15 cm tall, with a brownish, thick and prostrate stem that tends to reach 30 cm in length. Full of clinging hairs and creeping root. The plant has a peculiar smell. The leaves are simple, on long stems, 5–8 cm in diameter, with clearly visible veins. The leaf is also covered with close-fitting hair on both sides, it has a specific shape that resembles a horse's foot. Overwintering leaves become dark green, leathery, shiny on top and hairy on the underside. The new leaves are noticeably lighter, softer, also on long stems. Already in autumn, a flower bud begins to form between the leaves. The flowers are fleshy, small (about 1 cm), bisexual, solitary, red-brown in color, usually formed on the tops of young spring shoots. The fruit is a seed pod. The seeds are on average 3 mm long. The plant blooms in April, May. Pollinators are ants, which later also carry the seeds.
Although the roots of asarabacca smell similar to ginger and it is known as European ginger, this plant does not have the same medicinal properties as ginger.