We are indebted to Mr. Tim Chapman of St. Gabriel, LA, for nomenclatural corrections, though we still retain responsibility for any remaining errors.
Alpinia japonica : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Japanese Alpinia). Two-foot tall ginger with narrow, pointed, aromatic leaves. Flowers pink and white striped, in fall, but not a reliable bloomer here. Primarily a foliage plant for partial shade. East Asia. Hardy to 0°F. Zones 7-11.
Alpinia nutans, (Dwarf Cardamom). Ginger with aromatic leaves and roots. No flowers seen here - grown for foliage effect and as a spice. Shade; height 3-4', very bushy. Great for a mass planting of foliage. Java. Zones 8-10. Formerly offered as Amomum compactum.
Alpinia Zerumbet, (Shell Ginger). This ginger could be grown for foliage value alone, as the leaves are large, glossy, dark green, and leathery. Flowers, which appear on the second year's growth, are big, drooping terminal clusters of pink, yellow, and white. Ultimate height is 10', but usually shorter in Zone 8. Will not flower here unless container grown and protected in winter. Happy in full sun or full shade. East Asia. Hardy to 0°F. Zones 7-11.
Blue Ginger. See Dichorisandra thyrsiflora
Boesenbergia rotunda : ZINGIBERACEAE. Two-foot tall ginger with pink and blue flowers in summer, nestled among the leaves. Leaves are broad, light green, and quite attractive; plant spread is about 2 feet. Zones 8-11.
Butterfly Ginger. See Hedychium
Cardamon, Dwarf. See Alpinia nutans
Costus amazonicus 'Variegatus' : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Variegated Spiral Ginger). Bright variegation enhances the gently spiraling stems of this ginger. Flowers not seen here, even when greenhouse grown over winter. Height about 4', slow growing. Marginally hardy here; best in Zones 9-11. Formerly offered as C. dubius 'Variegatus'.
Costus curvibracteatus, (Orange Spiral Ginger). Very attractive, shiny leaves enhance the bright orange flowers liberally produced at the branch tips in summer and fall. Height 2 feet. Panama. Hardiness untested here. Zones 9-11.
Costus cuspidatus, (Fiery Costus). Bright orange 3" flowers on 18" plants in late summer and fall. Should be hardy to at least 10°F; partial shade. Plants remain bushy and compact, thus looking good even when not in flower. Shade. Brazil. Zones 8-11. Formerly offered as C. igneus. (Image / JPEG / 275x268 pixels / 19KB)
Costus Malortieanus, (Velvet Stepladder Plant). Large (at least 6"), oval, velvet-hairy leaves are the main attraction here. Height 2-3'; width 2' or more. Yellow flowers, sporadic, at the branch tips. Shade. Central America. Zones 9-11.
Costus pictus, (Painted Spiral Ginger). Red-painted stems enhance the beauty of the glossy linear leaves and strongly spiraling canes. Flower, in a terminal cone, is yellow with an orange-red tip. Height 8', spread 6'. Hardy here. Zones 8-11.
Costus pulverulentus (C. sanguineus). Large, reddish leaves are neatly arranged along the loosely spiralling stems. Grows to about 4-5 feet tall in partial shade. Flowers red-purple. Central and South America. Zones 8b-11.
Costus speciosus, (Crepe Ginger). Bold foliage spirals around the stem, which is topped in mid to late summer by a large (4") red cone with 2" white flowers protruding from the head. The red bracts remain attractive even after the flowers have faded. Height 6 to 7', for partial shade. East Indies. One of the hardiest gingers. Zones 7B-11; has been hardy here to 4°F. (Image / JPEG / 683x543 pixels / 52.7KB)
Costus speciosus 'Foster Variegated', (Foster's Variegated Spiral Ginger). This is a beautifully variegated plant with reddish spiralling stems and broad, creamy white striped leaves. Leaves are quite soft and furry to the touch, like sandwashed silk. Apparently will not flower here. Height 5'; needs at least partial shade. Hardy here. Zones 8-11.
Costus spicatus, (Orange Spiral Ginger). Large glossy light green leaves, with spiral stems, topped by an orange cone, from which reddish orange, 1½" flowers protrude. For shade or partial shade; will grow in sun if kept moist. Zones 8-11.
Costus Tappenbeckianus. Small spiral ginger (to 3 feet). Good, shiny, neat, red-flushed foliage. Enjoys shade. Flowers small, purple, usually from the base of the plant, but occasionally also from the top. Hardiness untested here. Zones 9-11.
Curcuma aeruginosa : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Pink and Blue Ginger). Leafy plants to 6' tall; leaves striped with purple. Pink flowers on a short inflorescence, in spring, before the leaves emerge. Rhizomes with blue flesh. Zones 8-11.
Curcuma angustifolia, (Tall Hidden Ginger). Large green leaves, not narrow. Large plants to 6' tall.
Curcuma australasica, (Australasian Hidden Ginger). Large-leaved plants grow to 4 feet tall. Flowers on long stems are hot pink and yellow. Zones 8-11.
Curcuma petiolata, (Hidden Lily). Large, showy flowers of bright pinkish purple, with yellow and white, nestle among the broad leaves of this ginger. Hardy and vigorous; for partial shade; height about 4', with a similar spread. Burma. One of the hardiest gingers. Zones 7b-11.
Curcuma sumatrana (C. Oleana). Summer-blooming hidden ginger. Differs from C. petiolata in having the inflorescence topped with deep reddish purple instead of pink; very beautiful. Also, leaves are darker green and plants are much shorter - height 2 feet. Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 348x456 pixels / 40KB)
Curcuma Zedoaria, (Zedoary). The large leaves have a purplish midrib. Flowers yellow, with white, from a maroon inflorescence, in spring before the leaves emerge. Northeast India. Cultivated in China for the starchy root. Zones 8-11; hardy here to 7°F.
Dichorisandra thyrsiflora : COMMELINACEAE, (Blue Ginger). Not a true ginger, but treated as one. Spirally arranged dark green leaves (initially with silver stripes) terminate in large heads of deep blue and white flowers. Needs some shade and a moist soil. Brazil. Zones 7-11. (Image / JPEG / 289x387 pixels / 27KB)
Ginger, Edible. See Zingiber
Globba globulifera: ZINGIBERACEAE, (Purple Globe Ginger). Two foot plants, with terminal flowers consisting of a ball of purple bracts, with protruding tiny yellow flowers. Flowers summer to fall. Bulbil-former. Pumpkin orange fall color, too! Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 540x422 pixels / 35KB)
Globba platystachya, (Silver-Striped Dancing Ladies Ginger). Slender ginger to 3 feet tall. Leaves have a central silver stripe. Flowers yellow, in a branching inflorescence. Does not form bulbils. Rather, it forms small plantlets in the leaf axils at the base of the leaf sheaths. Southeast Asia. Has survived 22°F but died at 7°F. Zones 8b-11.
Globba Schomburgkii (G. bulbifera), (Yellow Dancing Ladies). Unusual yellow, spreading flowers dangle from the branch tips during most of the summer into fall; forming bulbils which drop from the spent flowers. Height 2 to 2½ feet; for partial shade to nearly full sun. Probably the most sun-tolerant Globba. Hardy to at least 7°F. India. Zones 7b-11.
Globba Winitii, (Dancing Ladies Ginger). The showiest of the Globba species presented here. Height 2 feet. Foliage broad, light green. Pendant flower racemes to one foot long, yellow with lilac-purple bracts. The bracts are primarily on the top half of the inflorescence, while the yellow "dancing ladies" occupy the bottom half. Makes an excellent cut flower. Intolerant of direct sun. Thailand. Zones 8-11; hardy to at least 7°F. (Image / JPEG / 283x500 pixels / 31.8KB) (Image / JPEG / 632x479 pixels / 50.8KB)
Hedychium angustifolium : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Narrowleaf Ginger Lily). Light yellow flowers with an orangy throat age to peachy pink. Flowers mid to late summer, and into fall. Robust, 6' plants with long, narrow leaves. Zones 7b-11. (Image / JPEG / 402x540 pixels / 51KB)
Hedychium angustifolium 'Peach', (Peach Ginger Lily). 7-footer with terminal spikes of yellow-aging-to-peach flowers and nice, dark green, narrow leaves. Perhaps not distinguishable from the species, except that the flower petals are slightly narrower. Shade best; hardy here. Zones 7b-11.
Hedychium chrysoleucum, (Yellowheart Butterfly Ginger). Considered a variety of H. coronarium by some authorities. Fragrant white flowers, identical to those of H. coronarium, except for a large central spot of deep yellow on the petals. India. Zones 7-11. (Image / JPEG / 480x433 pixels / 36KB)
Hedychium coccineum, (Scarlet Ginger Lily). Bright orange-red, slender, 10" spikes of ginger flowers on 6'-7' tall plants during midsummer. Not fragrant, but the bright color makes up for lack of scent. Keep moist in partial shade. Tolerates sun rather well if soil is kept moist. One of the hardiest. India. Zones 7b-11. (Image / JPEG / 332x382 pixels / 54KB)
Hedychium coccineum 'Orange Brush' ('Disney'), (Orange Brush Scarlet Ginger Lily). An excellent selection. Similar to H. coccineum in flower color, 'Orange Brush' (also offered elsewhere as 'Disney', 'Honduras', or "dwarf") has flowers that are larger, in denser heads. The maroon-backed leaves are more closely spaced along the stem, also, which results in slightly shorter plants (to about 5 feet tall), as compared to the species. Zones 7b-11.
Hedychium coronarium, (Butterfly Ginger). White, fragrant terminal flowers in late summer. Partial shade best; will take some sun if the soil is kept moist. Widely considered the hardiest of the gingers. Tropical Asia. Zones 7-11. (Image / JPEG / 466x480 pixels / 39KB)
Hedychium 'Daniel Weeks', (Daniel Weeks Ginger Lily). Light yellow flowers with golden throat, intensely fragrant. Sturdy foliage. Height 6 feet. Zones 7b-11. (Image / JPEG / 332x382 pixels / 54KB)
Hedychium 'Elizabeth'. Tall, slender ginger. Flowers a rich, deep pink, fragrant, in late summer through fall. Our best fragrant pink - a definite favorite. (Image / JPEG / 632x429 pixels / 41.4KB)
Hedychium flavum, (Yellow Ginger Lily). Robust plants with heavy canes and glossy, leathery leaves offer very fragrant yellow flowers at the tips of 5' plants in summer. Rhizomes thick. India. Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 572x520 pixels / 37.6KB)
Hedychium Gardneranum, (Kahili Ginger). Very fragrant, huge yellow flowers in mid to late summer. Grows to 4 feet in partial shade. Large, glossy leaves and an arching habit add to the charm. India. Zones 8 - 11.
Hedychium 'Gold Flame', (Gold Flame Ginger Lily). Creamy yellow flowers with a large, golden center. Vigorous grower with very fragrant flowers. Height 5-6 feet. Zones 7b-11. (Image / JPEG / 507x479 pixels / 31.7KB)
Hedychium 'Golden Butterfly', (Golden Butterfly Ginger Lily). 6-foot tall plants offer bright orange, fragrant flowers, with red stamens. Zones 7b-11.
Hedychium gracile, (Tiny White Ginger). Slender, arching plants to 4' tall, with a narrow terminal inflorescence of white flowers in midsummer; occasional rebloom in late summer. Flowers are fragrant only at night. India. Zones 8-11.
Hedychium Greenei, (Redleaf Ginger). This beautiful ginger offers bronzy red leaves and stems, with an arching growth habit, and large, reddish orange flowers in late summer. New plants (kikis) form on the inflorescence after flowering. Shade to partial shade; height 5'. Hardy here for several years. India. Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 602x567 pixels / 50.8KB)
Hedychium Hasseltii, (Giant Moth Ginger). An epiphytic species, Giant Moth is large in leaf, but short in stature. Height 2½'; leaves to 2½' long from a short stalk. Flowers are white, spidery, very fragrant, fading to yellow as they age. My favorite part of this plant, though, is the wonderful seed pod, which opens to reveal bright red seeds, with yellow flesh surrounding them. The fruit, typical of
Hedychium 'Kai Yang', (Kai Yang Hybrid Ginger Lily) . Cream flowers, with a coconut fragrance. 6' plants, terminal flowering in late summer; shy to flower until well established. Zones 8-11.
Hedychium Kewense, (Kew Gardens Ginger). Pink flowers in upright terminal spikes during summer, and into fall. Though the flowers are not fragrant, the long bloom season and excellent deep pink color are valuable in the garden, as are the very ornamental, glaucous, slender leaves. Vigorous grower to 7'. Partial shade best. Hardy to at least 7°F. Zones 7-11. (Image / JPEG / 521x479 pixels / 57.9KB)
Hedychium 'Kinkaku' (='Samsheri'), (Peach Ginger Lily). Lovely, fragrant, and peach. Zones 8-11.
Hedychium Pradhamii. Fragrant flowers are creamy white with coral filaments. Height 5 feet or more. (Image / JPEG / 703x470 pixels / 45.1KB)
Hedychium thyrsiforme. Spidery white and yellow flowers in dense spikes, in fall. Foliage is broad, textured (14 inches by 5 inches). Height about 4-5 feet. India. Zones 8-11.
Hidden Ginger. See Curcuma
Kaempferia angustifolia : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Narrow-Leaf Peacock Ginger). Low growing plants, with long, narrow, green leaves. Flowers are white with purple markings, produced in spring. Quite attractive in flower. Height 6 to 8 inches.
Kaempferia atrovirens (K. pulchra 'Silverspot') : ZINGIBERACEAE, (Silverspot Peacock Ginger). Low growing plants, with 6" broad leaves, dark green, with silvery spots in bands across the leaf.
Kaempferia elegans, (Green Ripple Peacock Ginger). Flowers on this low-growing plant are purple, produced in summer amid the broad, green, undulate, 8-inch leaves.Plants grow about 6-8" tall, spread to 12" wide. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia Galanga, (Galanga Peacock Ginger). Bold, medium green, round leaves are about 8" long by 6" wide. White flowers with purple throats in early summer. Plants stay under 9" tall, spread to 18" wide. The edible rhizome is used as a spice in Asia. Hardy to at least 7°F. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia Gilbertii, (Variegated Kaempferia). Linear leaves are liberally striped at the margins with white variegation. A true variegated species, not a cultivar. Height about 1 foot. Hardy to at least 7°F. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia Gilbertii '3-D', (3-D Variegated Kaempferia). Linear leaves are irregularly striped with white, light green, and dark green variegation. Height less than 1 foot. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia laotica 'Brush Strokes', (Brush Strokes Peacock Ginger). Patterned-leaf Peacock Ginger. Reminds most people of a prayer plant (Maranta), only larger and, in this grower's humble opinion, even more beautiful. Oh, and the flowers are much prettier, too! Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia laotica 'Satin Checks', (Satin Checks Peacock Ginger). Patterned-leaf Peacock Ginger; pattern consists of dark blocks on oval leaves which are ridged and furrowed. Reminds most people of a prayer plant (Maranta), only larger and even more beautiful, with prettier flowers, too! Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia pulchra, (Bronze Peacock Ginger). Bronze leaves with a spotted variegation and lavender flowers. Height 12", spread 18". For partial to full shade. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia Roscoeana (K. pulchra 'Roscoe'), (Peacock Ginger). Silver-variegated leaves with an irridescent sheen, and lavender flowers from midsummer to frost. Usually under 1' tall and about 18" wide; requiring shade. Requires a dormant period even in warmer climes. Hardy to at least 7°F. Zones 8-11.
Kaempferia rotunda, (Tropical Crocus). Unusual Kaempferia. Much taller than others offered here, this plant grows nearly 3' tall, with purple-backed, linear leaves. The flowers are borne at soil level, in spring before the leaves emerge, and are white with a purple throat; fragrant; about 6" tall in flower. Hardy to at least 7°F. Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 234x254 pixels / 22.1KB)
Peacock Ginger. See Kaempferia
Monocostus uniflorus : ZINGIBERACEAE, (One-Flowered Spiral Ginger). Small plants growing less than 2' tall. Slender, spiralling canes, with 3" rounded, dark green leaves. Flowers are about 3" or more across, lemon yellow - very large in scale with the plant itself; produced singly in the leaf axils near the top of the plant. Flowers all summer and fall. Zones 8B-11.
Pollia japonica : COMMELINACEAE, (Pollia). Ginger look-alike with broad leaves on canes to 3' tall, topped by a cone of white flowers. Blue-black seeds follow. Zones 6-11.
Spiral Ginger. See Costus
Zingiber Mioga : ZINGIBERACEAE. Edible ginger with yellow flowers from the base of the plant in summer. Height about 2 feet. Japan. Zones 8-11.
Zingiber officinale, (Common Ginger). This is the edible ginger, used in Asian cooking. Not particularly ornamental, but valued for its aromatic root. Hardiness untested here. Grow in partial shade.
Zingiber Zerumbet, (Shampoo Ginger). Pretty plants, with an arching habit, and shiny, dark green leaves. Height 6' or more. Flowers sprout from the base of the plants on a separate stalk, to 18" tall. Flowers are yellow and protrude from a green cone, which slowly changes to bright red over the course of several weeks. Give the cone a squeeze, and you'll discover the source of the common name. Zones 8-11. (Image / JPEG / 339x455 pixels / 37KB)
Zingiber Zerumbet 'Darceyi' ('Variegata'). Leaves with broad cream patches. Shorter (to 4 feet) and less vigorous than the species. Zones 8b-11.
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This page last updated Monday, February 14, 2000 7:27:35 PM CST.
