Alpinia caerulea – Native Ginger

Alpinia caerulea - red-back native ginger is a great bush tucker plant

Alpinia caerulea - red back native ginger
Alpinia caerulea - red-back native ginger
Alpinia caerulea - red-back native ginger

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.

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