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Ornamental Gingers

Gingers give a garden the full tropical look: tall arching canes, broad glossy leaves and flowers like waxed shells or pink torches. They fill shaded corners fast, screen a fence without getting woody and scent the air when the foliage is brushed. This range covers shell gingers and native ginger for foliage, Siam tulips for summer flowers, and edible ginger and turmeric for the kitchen garden. Every plant is delivered Australia wide.

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How to choose a ginger

For foliage and screening, the alpinias are evergreen and the easiest to grow. Variegated shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) has gold striped leaves on 2m canes and pink tipped white flowers. Red back ginger is a form of the native ginger, with burgundy leaf undersides, and suits a rainforest style planting. False cardamom is shorter, about 1.5m, with a spicy scent to the leaves. For flowers, the Siam tulips such as Siam Sunrise send up pink, white or purple bracts in summer on 60cm plants, then rest underground through winter. Edible ginger and turmeric grow the same way: leafy in the wet season, dormant and ready to harvest in the dry.

Where gingers work

Gingers want warmth, moisture and shelter. They are at their best in tropical and subtropical gardens and in protected, frost free spots further south. Plant them in part shade or filtered light, out of strong wind, in soil rich in compost. Use the tall alpinias along a fence or around a pool, and the smaller types in pots on a shaded patio. They belong with our other tropical plants, and the edible kinds sit in edible plants and bush tucker.

Planting and spacing

Space alpinias 1m to 1.5m apart for a screen and Siam tulips 30cm apart in groups. Dig in compost, plant level with the soil and mulch thickly. Water two or three times a week through the first summer.

Care basics

Keep the soil moist through the warm months and feed in spring and midsummer. Cut old or flowered canes of alpinias to the ground to make room for new ones. Curcumas and edible ginger die back in autumn: that is normal, so reduce watering and mark the spot. They reshoot when the weather warms. For more plants that enjoy the same conditions, see plants for partial shade.

Common questions

Do gingers grow in shade?

Yes. Most prefer part shade or filtered light. Shell ginger also takes sun if it is kept moist.

Why has my ginger died back in winter?

Siam tulips, turmeric and edible ginger go dormant in the cool months and return in late spring. Alpinias stay evergreen.

Can I grow ginger in a pot?

Yes. Use a wide pot and a rich potting mix, keep it moist in summer and nearly dry while dormant.

Can gingers grow in cooler climates?

In frost free, sheltered positions. In cold districts grow them in pots and move them under cover for winter.