Felder Rushing
Family
Zingiberaceae
Botanical Name
Zingiber zerumbet
Plant Common Name
Broad-leaved Ginger
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
With fragrant leaves and rhizomes (underground stems), broad-leaved ginger is most interesting in the depths of summer when pine cone-like bracts house small pale yellow flowers. A seasonally dormant tender perennial from southern India and Sri Lanka, it is also called wild ginger or bitter ginger, alluding to the lower quality culinary use of its rhizomes.
Rather short in stature, this clump forming plant has stiff stems that emerge from the soil once warmth and moisture returns in spring. Individual leaves are lance-shaped and a rich green and if crushed will emit a standard gingery fragrance. In midsummer, at the base of the plant and well-hidden by the foliage, short stalks emerge topped with a firm, tight, pine cone-like mass of bracts (modified leaves). These bracts are green and progressively display small light yellow flowers with a deeper yellow throat. Once these true flowers subside, the bracts become bright red and particularly showy. Once winter's chill or seasonal drought deepens, the entire plant withers away into a dormancy.
Grow broad-leaved ginger in partial sun to light shade locales in soils that are not highly alkaline. Ensure soils are moist in the growing season and rich in organic matter, but also have good drainage. Use it among evergreen shrubs and plants in the tropical understory of palms and trees. The pine cone-like bracts, mainly once they blush red, are long-lasting cutflowers when kept in fresh water. The liquid that can be squeezed out of the bract cone has an essence of ginger, and is the reason this is also called the shampoo ginger. Cultivar 'Darcy' is a variegated selection with bracts that ripen to a deeper, burnished red.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
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USDA Hardiness Zone
8 - 12
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tender Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
4'-5' / 1.2m - 1.5m
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Width
3'-4' / 0.9m - 1.2m
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Bloom Time
Summer
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Native To
India
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Clump-Forming
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Seasonal Interest
Summer
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Red, Green, Light Yellow
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Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
