The Queensland Gardening Pages

Information & resources about plants & gardens for Brisbane & Qld

Ornamental Gingers and Heliconias

including Cucurma, Alpinia, Hedychium, Dichorisandra, Zingiber, Globba, Etlingera, Elettaria and Costus

This is a broad group including plants of the families Heliconiaceae, Costaceae and Zingiberaceae. The so-called "Blue Ginger" (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) belongs to Commelinaceae. They are frequently discussed together because they're all tropical plants which produce flowers and foliage from stems that run in or on the ground (rhizomes). Most are grown for their flamboyant flowers, although the bold, tropical-look foliage is foliage is also appealing.

News

Ginger could be new weapon against fruit fly
Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology are looking for alternatives to conventional chemicals to control Queensland fruit fly. One potenial method involves using an extract of ginger called zingerone to lure male fruit flies into traps. Source: Qld fruit fly scientists in race against time

Where to buy Gingers and Heliconias

More Information

Gingers & Heliconias are generally plants for the tropics and subtropics. For borderline climates like Sydney, consult a specialist ginger nursery to find out which varieties are most cold tolerant.

Although they're not woody plants, some types can reach heights of several metres. Not all grow to these proportions, however, with other varieties reaching only 50 cm or less.

Most cultivated members of this group are "exotic" in terms of both looks and origin, but Australia does have some native gingers. Alpinia coerulea is widely available and a popular choice for rainforest gardens. Curcuma australasica is another Australian native becoming popular with ginger collectors.

More Links

The following are for general information, research and ideas - some species or cultivars referred to in links may be unavailable in Australia or unsuitable or illegal to grow in Queensland.

Heliconias | Costus | Gingers | Cordylines | Landscaping Blog from N Qld

A Birkdale "Giving Garden"

Zingiberaceae Lindl. Australian National Botanic Gardens

Australian Plant Image Index Australian National Botanic Gardens (check Costaceae, Zingiberaceae)

My Favourite Rainforest Plants for Containers by David Ratcliffe, Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants

Plants of the Kakadu region Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia (Curcuma australasica)

Cut-flower Publications Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines, Northern Territory.

New Heliconia and Ginger Varieties for the Ornamental Industry Department of Business, Industry & Resource Development, Northern Territory (PDF)

Ornamental Plant Introductions (notes on Etlingera hemispherica, Zingiber otensii, Alpinia mutica) Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines (PDF)

The Order Zingiberales Andromeda Botanic Gardens, Barbados

Ginger: Attractive foliage and stunning flowers for a shady Miami garden University of Florida (PDF)

Ginger Adds Spice To Mississippi Gardens, Too Office of Agricultural Communications, Mississippi State University USA

East Asian Flora Web Interesting plants from of Singapore and Malaysia including gingers

GingerGarden.com Texas, USA

Meet the Plants Pacific flora database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA. Information on a number of Gingers and Heliconias

Gay's Gingers Texas USA

SFA Mast Arboretum News Summer 2003 "Tropical Temptations for the East Texas Landscape" includes some tips for cooler climates. Stephen F. Austin State University (PDF)

Tropical Plants Offer New Possibilities for Georgia Gardens University of Georgia, USA

Cultural Studies in Ornamental Ginger Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Purdue University USA

Patricia's Garden Gingers (lots of pictures) Florida, USA

Alpinia

Alpinia caerulea Native Ginger, Blue Berry Ginger. Save Our Waterways Now, Brisbane

Native Ginger (Alpinia caerulea) At the "Grow Me Instead" website (an Australian website informing gardeners about safer alternatives to invasive ornamentals)

Alpinia purpurata 'Federation Lady' Australian National Botanic Gardens

Variegated Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata') At the "Grow Me Instead" website, Australia

Alpinia zerumbet, Shell Ginger The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Alpinia zerumbet Shell Ginger, Shellflower. University of Florida (PDF)

Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata', Variegated Shellflower University of Florida (PDF)

Alpinia zerumbet UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, University of British Columbia, Canada

Shell Ginger Alpinia zerumbet. Flowers of India

Irrigation and Nutrition Management in Alpinia as a Possible Control of Alpinia Leaf Scorch (Second part of this document) Department of Business, Industry & Resource Development, Northern Territory (PDF)

Alpinia sanderae Ornamentals for the Texas Gulf Coast (Texas A&M University)

Alpinia purpurata (pictures of some variants) Harold L. Lyon Arboretum Plant Profile, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA (PDF)

Ginger, Shell Ginger, Torch Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet, Alpinia purpurata) Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality. University of California, Davis. USA (PDF)

Alpinia purpurata College of Micronesia-FSM (Federated States of Micronesia)

Ornamental Ginger, Red and Pink Article about Alpinia purpurata. University of Hawaii at Manoa (PDF)

Red Ginger Alpinia purpurata. Flowers of India

Snap Ginger Alpinia calcarata. Flowers of India

Alpinia galanga (Galangal) Ecocrop database, Food and Agriculture Organization

Costus

Native Crepe Ginger (Costus potierae) At the "Grow Me Instead" website (an Australian website informing gardeners about safer alternatives to invasive ornamentals)

Costus barbatus 'Red Tower' The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Costus productus,Spiral Ginger The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Costus igneus, Fiery Costus, Spiral Flag Factsheet, University of Florida, USA

Costus speciosus 'Variegatus', Variegated Crepe Ginger Factsheet, University of Florida, USA

Grow the Crepe Ginger Green Culture Singapore (PDF)

Costus woodsonii (Red Button Ginger) Online Manual of Subtropical Landscaping Plants, Palm Beach Community College, Florida

Curcuma

Cape York Lily (Curcuma australasica) At the "Grow Me Instead" website (an Australian website informing gardeners about safer alternatives to invasive ornamentals)

Curcuma australasica The Taxonomy Research & Information Network

Curcuma domestica (Turmeric) University of Oklahoma

Curcuma alismatifolia Thai Horticulture

Curcuma longa turmeric Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database, Bishop Museum

Siam Tulips Selections and hybrids of Curcuma alismatifolia. Center for Tropical Plant Conservation, Florida

Curcuma Alismatifolia Siam Tulip. Lee County Extension, Florida (PDF)

Curcuma longa The Taxonomy Research & Information Network

Dichorisandra

Blue Ginger Dichorisandra thrysiflora At the "Grow Me Instead" website, Australia

Blue-Ginger Dichorisandra thyrsiflora Online Manual of Subtropical Landscaping Plants, Palm Beach Community College, Florida

Dichorisandra thyrsiflora, Blue Ginger The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

The "Fake" Ginger Plant... (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) Gardening with Wilson, Singapore

Etlingera

Etlingera elatior cv Red Torch The Florez Nursery blog, NSW

Etlingera australasica The Taxonomy Research & Information Network

Torch Ginger Etlingera elatior. Flowers of India

Light up your Garden with a Torch Ginger! Green Culture Singapore (PDF)

Torch Ginger (Etilngera Elatior) Lee County Extension, Florida

Elettaria

Elettaria cardamomum Ecocrop database, Food and Agriculture Organization

Globba

Dancing Girls Perform Easily In Mississippi (Globba marantina) Office of Agricultural Communications Mississippi State University

Globba winitii Thai Horticulture

Heliconia

Heliconia Struggle Experiences growing heliconias in the Brisbane area shared at the SubTropical Queensland Open Garden blog

Heliconia.org Heliconia Society International

Heliconia Society of Puerto Rico, Inc.

The Heliconias Andromeda Botanic Gardens, Barbados

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Heliconia General Information Florida, USA

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Heliconia Descriptions Florida, USA

Heliconia basics Green Culture Singapore

Heliconias: Much more than just Parrots and Lobster Claws University of Florida (PDF)

Heliconias Impart a Tropical Look Hendry County Extension Service, Univ Florida

The Genus Heliconia Linnaeus in Photos Lyon Arboretum

HSI Conference 2004 links to more photos of gingers and heliconias

Heliconia rostrata Lobster Claw. University of Florida (PDF)

Lobster Claw Heliconia rostrata. Flowers of India

Heliconia chartacea 'Sexy Pink' At the "Grow Me Instead" website, Australia

Caribbean Heliconia Heliconia caribea 'Red' At the "Grow Me Instead" website, Australia

Heliconia caribaea Caribbaean Heliconia, Wild Plantain. University of Florida (PDF)

Heliconia longissima Nice pic in "Plumerias' photos" collection

Heliconia indica Lam. in: Agroforestry in the Pacific Islands: Systems for Sustainability United Nations University Press

Heliconia Golden Torch Heliconia psittacorum x spathocircinata. Flowers of India

Heliconia angusta

Heliconia psittacorum At the "Grow Me Instead" website (an Australian website informing gardeners about invasive plants)

Parakeet Flower Heliconia psittacorum. Flowers of India

Method of application affects effectiveness of cytokinin in inducing bud break on heliconia rhizomes University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA

Visual Symptoms of Plant Nutrient Deficiencies in Nursery and Landscape Plants University of Hawaii at Manoa (Picture of iron deficiency in Psittacorum)

Heliconia setting seeds in Singapore Gardening with Wilson, Singapore

The smallest Heliconia Gardening with Wilson, Singapore

Zingiber

Zingiber officinale Missouri Botanical Garden

Ever wondered how the Ginger's flower looks like? (Zingiber officinale) Gardening with Wilson, Singapore

Zingiber zerumbet The Taxonomy Research & Information Network

Zingiber zerumbet, Pine Cone Ginger, Pine Cone Lily Factsheet, University of Florida, USA

Zingiber zerumbet Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database, Bishop Museum

Awapuhi kuahiwi (Zingiber zerumbet) Kauai Community College, Hawaii

Botany, Taxonomy, Environment

Diversity, Distribution and Some Notes on Gingers of Sayap-Kinabalu Park, Sabah (Malaysia) by Halijah Ibrahim. ASEAN Review of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, June 1998 (PDF)

Zingiberaceous species of Tawau Hills Park, Sabah (Malaysia) by Halijah Ibrahim. from ASEAN Review of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, January - February 1999 (PDF)

Wild Ginger Notes about gingers by World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia

Older News

Ginger and heliconia aphids may or may not be banana risk
The banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa is vector of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV). DNA analysis of aphids collected from several countries including Australia, showed that aphids from banana are genetically different from apparently similar aphids from heliconia and ginger plants. This has implications for BBTV research as some of the previous work on the aphid may have involved the wrong species (Pentalonia caladii). If it is found that the ginger and heliconia aphids can't transmit the virus, they can be ruled out as a treat to bananas. More at the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center website: Identity Theft by Aphids (January 2011)

Three species of ornamental ginger declared weeds in Queensland

Media release from Tim Mulherin (Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland) here: Three Gingers banned in Queensland.

Yellow ginger (Hedychium flavescens) is now a Class 1 weed
White ginger (Hedychium coronarium) is now a Class 3 weed

Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum) is now a Class 3 weed

All are now illegal to sell or trade in Qld, while landowners who have yellow ginger on their properties must eradicate it. More information on declared weeds in Qld, the classification system and your obligations at the Biosecurity Queensland website. (November 2010)

Other Advertisements