Plant Alpinia Red Ginger, also known as ornamental ginger, in spring, and in summer (4½ to 5 months after shoot emerges) the bulbs bloom in 6- to 12-inch flower spikes of bright red floral bracts and inconspicuous white flowers. Borne singly on long, leafy, cane-like stalks, the inflorescences attract bees, butterflies, and birds and are quite popular as cut flowers.
An herbaceous evergreen perennial (Zones 10-11) with a tropical flare, Alpinia Red Ginger has a tall, upright habit of lush, deep green leaves that are 12 to 32 inches long and 4 to 9 inches wide and sheath the stems. The plant spreads laterally by rhizomes in thick clusters. Shown to best effect when massed or grouped. It makes an excellent informal screen or hedge, a good backdrop or foundation planting, and a lovely specimen.
Easy to grow and maintain, Alpinia Red Ginger prefers full to part sun and fertile, organically rich, moist, well-drained soil that has a neutral to mildly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.8. It tolerates moderate shade, but it does not tolerate salt spray, temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or drought. It grows best in wet habitats and requires at least 1 inch of water a week during dry periods. It flowers best when feed once a month with a complete fertilizer, using a 1:1:1 to 3:1:5 NPK ratio formula. Cut off spent flowers at the ground.
