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Zingiber 'Midnight'

Image of Zingiber 'Midnight'

Grandiflora

Family

Zingiberaceae

Botanical Name

Zingiber 'Midnight'

Plant Common Name

Black Ginger, Midnight Ginger

General Description

Hybrid ginger ‘Midnight’ displays glossy, deep chocolate-black foliage touched with subtle hints of purple and deep green. The elongated leaves are held alternately on short, fleshy, light green stems, and are fragrant if crushed. In the heat of summer, large, cone-like bracts rise from the base of the plant. The bracts are yellow blushed with pink, and bear small, cream-colored flowers.

Grow this tropical beauty in full to part sun and moist, fertile, well-drained, acid to neutral soil. It is perennial and evergreen in frost-free climates, but will die to the ground if exposed to light frost. Plants grown in the ground do not respond well to being lifted and stored over the winter as do many other tropicals; however, potted plants are easily moved indoors for the winter.

Use ‘Midnight’ as an accent in container compositions and tropical plantings, or grow en masse as a shady groundcover. Its cut foliage adds an exotic note to floral arrangements.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    12 - 9

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    9 - 15

  • Sunset Zone

    H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Tender Perennial

  • Sun Exposure

    Partial Shade

  • Height

    2'-4' / 0.6m - 1.2m

  • Width

    2'-3' / 0.6m - 0.9m

  • Bloom Time

    Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer

  • Native To

    Hybrid Origin

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam, Sand

  • Growth Rate

    Medium

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Clump-Forming

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    Light Yellow, Ivory

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Purple, Dark Green, Black

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Purple, Dark Green, Black

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Purple, Dark Green, Black

  • Foliage Color (Winter)

    Purple, Dark Green, Black

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    Yes

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    Yes

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Coarse

  • Foliage Sheen

    Glossy

  • Evergreen

    Yes

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    No

  • Attracts

    Butterflies

  • Self-Sowing

    No