The native ginger is an edible perennial herb, and is a good bush tucker plant. It has broad sword shaped green leaves with attractive red leaf reverses. The fragrant white flowers are followed by blue berries. The new leaf shoots and berries have a mild ginger flavour and can be used in cooking, or eaten fresh from the plant. It forms a clump to 2 metres tall, and is hardy. Likes a lightly shaded to full shade spot, and can be used indoors. Likes water in dry spells. Grows from an underground rhizome, so the plant can be cut back hard if it looks untidy. Frost will damage the leaves, but it should reshoot once the danger of frost is over, though hard and prolonged frost could kill the rhizome.
Alpinia caerulea – Native Ginger
Family : Zingiberaceae
Cultivar Name:
Plant Type : Clumping perennial, Bulb or bulb-like
Width : 2
Flowering Time : All year
Soil Type : Loamy, Sandy loam, Clay loam, Potting mix
Climate Zone : Sub-tropical, Warm temperate
Growth Habit : Evergreen, Dense foliage
Soil Moisture : Moist moderate drainage, Needs regular watering
Special Uses : Edible, Cut flower, Decorative fruit, Erosion control, Pollution tolerant, Fast growing, Playground friendly
Scientific Name: Alpinia caerulea
Common Name : Native Ginger
Height : 2.5
Flower Color : White
pH Level : Acid, Neutral
Plant Environment : Low maintenance garden, Courtyard, Indoor, Poolside, Container growing
Light : Sunny, Light shade, Half shade, Heavy shade
Lifespan : Perennial
Frost Tolerance : Not frost tolerant
Attracts Wildlife : Bees, Butterflies, Other insects