Tropical ornamental ginger flowers

Ornamental flowering ginger plants are popular as houseplants, patio accents in large containers and as garden specimens. Gardeners need to be aware that these perennial tropical plants go dormant below 50°F and roots and rhizomes (underground stems) can freeze right through the pot during a frigid winter in northern Central Florida. If leaving perennial ginger rhizomes in the ground, they may need an inch or two of top mulch as insulation from the cold.

Several ornamental flowering gingers are readily available to gardeners at retail nurseries or online. Growers clone plants identical to the parent stock plant. Plant breeders have many named cultivars.

In spring, late May in Jane’s zone 8b-9a garden, flowering gingers send up new stems and/or leaves directly from the rhizomes. Different species grow leaves of different heights and shapes. Flower stems rise separately from the leaves. Many ginger species have unusual flower forms and sizes.

Asian Peacock Ginger, Kaempferia pulchra, is a low-growing shade-loving summer groundcover with dark green oval leaves 4 inches or more long. Leaves are patterned with silvery, purplish or bronze markings. Its pretty four-petaled flowers are pink to pale purple. Although the flowers are short-lived and just a few at a time, Peacock ginger has some flowers from late June through to the autumn months.

The variety ‘Alva’ has a striking silver-colored leaf pattern. ‘Bronze Peacock II’ has dark bronze rounded leaves with red undersides. Cloned by tissue culture, the newer ‘Bronze Peacock II’ variety is slightly smaller and faster growing than the original. The taller Kaempferia rotunda has 10 to 24 inch tall leaves, marked with bronze patterns and purple-colored undersides. K. laotica has light to medium green leaves with intricate burgundy and bronze patterns. Plant the rhizomes about an inch deep in humus-rich amended soil in part shade. Avoid full sun location in Florida as the leaves will sunburn. Order specialty gingers online.

Variegated Shell Ginger, Alpinea zerumbet, grows into large clumps over time in part shade under tree canopies and in acidic, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Listed as growing in cold zones 9–11, it can be grown in protected microclimates in zone 8b where black roads, buildings and cities absorb and store heat in the daytime and radiate warmth overnight. In Central Florida, perennial Variegated Shell Ginger is grown mainly for its striking foliage. Leaves can reach 18 to 36 inches tall locally, but can reach 8 feet tall in the tropics. The variegated variety has long green leaves are marked with yellow. Leaves have a spicy fragrance.

Grown in a warmed microclimate and part shade under a high tree canopy, Shell Ginger may remain evergreen as far north as zones 8b in Marion County. In warmer South Florida, it grows taller and flowers year-round. Variegated Shell Ginger remains evergreen from cold zone 9b and warmer South Florida. In the south, gardeners will get to see the flowers, but it is unlikely to flower in zones 8b or 9a in Citrus, Marion or Levy Counties.

Blue Ginger, Dichorisandra thyrsiflora, is in the Commelina family as are native blue spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis, and the popular nonnative houseplant called Wandering Jew or inch plant, Tradescantia zebrina. Blue ginger can grow into large clumps perfect for mass planting. Fleshy cane-like stems have leaves held horizontally and clusters of blue flowers grow at the tops. Plant Blue ginger in shade in moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil. It is generally pest-free except for occasional mealy bugs.

Blue Ginger is typically evergreen in South Florida but will die back in winter in North or Central Florida. A smaller Weeping Blue Ginger, Dichorisandra pendula, is available online from ginger growers.

Locally, in the tri-county area, gingers go dormant for five to six months a year. Divide and transplant the rhizomes in late fall after top growth dies to the ground. I plant low-growing native evergreen perennial violets around gingers to mark their locations. Gardeners can also plant evergreen Asian Ophiopogon, Ophiopogon japonicus, and Liriopi muscari. Grown in part shade to full sun, these two temperate to subtropical evergreen perennial plants have narrow leaves that resemble grass. Both have summer flowers and develop fruit with seeds inside.

Jane Weber is a professional gardener and consultant. Semi-retired, she grows thousands of native plants. Contact her at [email protected] or phone 352-249-6899.