Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
What is the most beautiful ginger? 5 most spectacular Ginger species
Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger
Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger
Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger
Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt
Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus
Ginger is famous for its culinary and medicinal uses, and many species are also strikingly beautiful, making them perfect centerpieces for tropical gardens or potted plant collections, especially in shaded spots. Here are a few of our favorite cultivars.
- 🍭 Hedychium flavum x coronarium - Yellow Butterfly Ginger, Nardo Ginger Lily - rare hybrid of White Butterfly ginger we mentioned earlier, it is more vigorous and tall than its parent. With attractive long green leaves with a slight fuzziness, this ginger has open long spikes of pastel yellow flowers with a beautiful heady aroma. Exquisitely fragrant!
- 🍭 Costus arabicus (amazonicus) variegata - Variegated Spiral Ginger - is a show stopper! Very popular in Hawaii and Florida. Spiraling stems rise with a strong white variegation and topped with green and white cone like flowers. Vigorous grower, it prefers shade, moist soil and lots of water.
- 🍭 Zingiber Zerumbet - Pine Cone Ginger, Shampoo Ginger - is probably the most popular one. All parts of this ginger are spicy fragrant. The cone shaped flowers are long lasting and useful for cut flower arrangements. It is in fact used as a shampoo in Asia and Hawaii, and as an ingredient in several commercial shampoos! Pinecone ginger is considered a "canoe plant", that is, a plant introduced throughout the Pacific by the ancient Polynesian settlers.
- 🍭 Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt - The name refers to the colorful raspberry colored stem, but that's not the only colorful thing about it: the leaves are dark green, long and glossy with velvety deep purple undersides. The inflorescence is a vivid red with tight bracts and bold yellow flowers. The butterflies love to drink the nectar from the flowers. Large vigorous ginger, growing up to 5-6 ft tall.
- 🍭 Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus - from Gabon in West Africa. It has a dazzling pink trumpet flower with a yellow throat. It is very floriferous with an inflorescence of numerous flower buds on a shortish plant of 3-4 ft that stands very erect. It is an easy grower
📚 More gingers in previous posts:
Alpinia formosana x zerumbet Variegata - Variegated Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
❔ What is your favorite Ginger? Share in comments👇
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What are the most interesting edible gingers?
Boesenbergia rotunda - Chinese Keys Ginger, Fingerroot, Kra Chai
Curcuma longa - Turmeric, Spice Turmeric, Longevity Spice, Indian Saffron.
Zingiber officinale - Spice Ginger, Cooking Ginger
Zingiber officinale - Spice Ginger, Cooking Ginger
- Boesenbergia rotunda - Chinese Keys Ginger, Fingerroot, Kra Chai. A medicinal and culinary herb from China and Southeast Asia. It is used in Javanese cuisine in Indonesia, as well as in Thai cooking where it is called krachai. In the west it is usually found pickled or frozen. Kra Chai is used as a male tonic, vigor, health promotion, longevity, aphrodisiac.
- Curcuma longa - Turmeric, Spice Turmeric, Longevity Spice, Indian Saffron. Turmeric powder might well be the healthiest spice on Earth. Made by grinding this dried root, this ancient superfood and key ingredient in curry powder has been used by Indian Ayurvedic healers for centuries.
- Zingiber officinale - Spice Ginger, Cooking Ginger - the one you eat with sushi! Plant this ginger in the garden to produce your own fresh ginger for pickling or healthy lemonade.
📚 More gingers in previous posts:
5 most beautiful flowering gingers
Alpinia formosana x zerumbet Variegata - Variegated Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Hedychium coronarium - Butterfly Ginger
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
❔ What is your favorite Ginger? Share in comments👇
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Date:
Variegated Shell Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I live in Deltona, Florida and hoping to find spreading ginger with interesting foliage to grow in a partially shaded area in my garden under a group of trees. Any suggestions?
A: Variegated ginger Alpinia zerumbet variegata is a clumping ginger valued for its
beautiful variegated foliage. The dark, green leaves have striking yellow stripes.
This ginger is sought-after, not only for the stunning foliage but also for its
beautiful flowers. The flowers are different from other members of the
ginger family and appear in drooping racemes from the ends of leafy stems rather
than directly from the rhizomes. This ginger is also commonly known as Shell
Ginger because the flowers resemble seashells! They are pink-tinged, fragrant
and appear in summer.
This evergreen perennial grows in upright clumps 3-5 feet tall. You may
prune the plant to control size.
It does not tolerate drought or a hard freeze but can take a few hours
or light frost (goes dormant in such case). In colder areas, rhizomes should
be dug up and stored in a cool room during winter.
This ginger will love a shaded corner in your garden. Plant it in
organically rich, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Keep the soil moist
but not soggy, and spread a thick layer of organic mulch around the plant
for moisture retention. There are no serious insect or disease problems to
worry about!
This ginger can be also be grown as a house plant as long as it has
bright light and humid conditions. It will grow to around 3-4 feet tall as a
houseplant.
Recommended fertilizers:
Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Variegated Ginger - Alpinia zerumbet
Would you like to spice Up Your Garden with Variegated Ginger?
Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger
Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger
Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger flower
Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger
Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata Variegated Ginger
- 🌿 Alpinia Zerumbet Variegata is a clumping ginger valued for its beautiful variegated foliage. With its colorful foliage and beautiful flowers, variegated ginger is a stunning ornamental.
- 🌿 Striking Foliage: Glossy green leaves with white striping add a pop of color and interest to your garden.
- 🌿 Unique Flowers: Unlike other gingers, its beautiful, fragrant, shell-like flowers droop from leafy stems, adding summer charm.
- 🌿 Perfect Size: This small shrub grows 2-4 feet tall and can be pruned for size control.
- 🌿 Moisture Lover: Keep the soil moist for happy, thriving plants.
- 🌿 Ideal Conditions: Thrives in shaded garden corners with organically rich, well-drained soil. Mulch for best results.
- 🌿 Low Maintenance: No serious insect or disease problems, making it an easy addition to your garden.
- 🌿 Indoor Option: Can be grown as a houseplant with bright light and humid conditions, reaching 3-4 feet indoors.
- 🌿 Edibe: Like every ginger, this ornamental beauty also has edible rhizomes.
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Dwarf Red Ginger - more than just a pretty face
Q: I've just recently moved to Florida from North Carolina. I don't know much about tropical plants. Can you perhaps suggest an easy and pretty flowering plant for a beginner which I can plant around my garden pond for a tropical feeling?
A: For adding that tropical look to your garden, few plants beat
beautiful ginger! Alpinia purpurata, the Dwarf Red Cone Ginger with its bright red floral
spikes and lush, lance-shaped foliage is no exception. This striking
perennial will add a tropical effect to your garden that will definitely take your
breath away.
The Dwarf Red Cone grows between 3 and 4 feet tall and blooms 8-9
months of the year! The blooms will hold on the plant for up to 3 weeks! It makes
a very attractive and distinctive backdrop for other plants.
Red Cone Ginger likes partial shade and moist, humid conditions, but
will tolerate full sun. It is fast growing, easy to grow and resistant to
disease, heat, and insects. The plant is a wonderful accent in a garden and works
well as a focal point specimen, show-stopping when planted around garden
ponds or near entryways. This ginger also works very well in containers and
planters. Either in mass plantings or smaller groups, all gingers add tropical flair which never disappoints.
In addition, the beautiful flower spikes make for great, long-lasting
cut flowers and is an interesting addition to bouquets.
An added bonus? Dwarf Red Ginger is super easy to propagate. If stems
are cut at the base and placed in water, they will generally root within a few
weeks. Eventually, you can make a whole flowering hedge just from one
plant!
Who does not like a plant that is non-fussy and not only beautiful but easy to grow? Dwarf Red Ginger is more than just a pretty face!
To keep this plant happy and blooming, give it some food: Broad Leaf Plus - Ginger-Heliconia-Banana Booster.
What is our most favorite Ginger plant? African Princess!
Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, Cameroon Costus
- 👸 The most beautiful Ginger flower, in our opinion, is Costus fissiligulatus - African Princess, or Cameroon Costus - an amazing flowering Ginger from Gabon in West Africa.
- 👸 Dazzling pink trumpet flower with a yellow throat. It is very floriferous with an inflorescence of numerous flower buds.
- 👸 Low-growing plant only 3-4 ft that stands very erect.
- 👸 Easy grower with similar growing requirements to other gingers.
💻 What is your most favorite ginger? Share in comments!
📚 Gingers from previous posts:
Most interesting edible gingers
5 most spectacular Ginger species
How to French Kiss the Red Button Ginger
🛒 Get your own African Princess
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Thumbs up the most fragrant ginger ever!
White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)
White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)
White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium)
- White Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium) is a must for every Southern garden.
- Famous for its intense, sweet scent.
- Symbol of Hawaiian Paradise along with Plumeria and Jasmine we mentioned earlier.
- Lei and hair decoration: popular in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands for leis and hair adornments.
- Butterfly-like flowers: bears fragrant, butterfly-resembling flowers in summer.
- Great cut flower: long lasting cut flowers, ideal for scenting the home.
- Can survive light freezes, with tops regrowing in the spring. Takes sun or shade.
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How to French Kiss the Red Button Ginger
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
Costus spicatus x woodsonii - Red Button Ginger, French Kiss
💋 Costus spicatus x woodsonii (Red Button Ginger, French Kiss): this ginger's inflorescence resembles a cluster of bright red buttons, making it a standout in tropical gardens.
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How this Raspberry ginger became spiral
Costus vargasii - Spiral Ginger Raspberry Yogurt
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Its not an orchid! But it looks like orchid:
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe
- 💋 Kaempferia angustifolia - Laos Silver Stripe is one of the most beautiful of all the Kaempferia Peacock Ginger cultivars. It is one of the large types.
- 💋 The plant has boldly striped leaves of green and silver.
- 💋 The flowers are orchid shaped white and purple
- 💋 Small, compact perennial, great for container culture. Deciduous in winter, like many others from Ginger family.
- 💋 Shade lover, great as exotic houseplant.
- 💋 This hard to find variety is a must for every Ginger collector.
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