Variegated Ginger Plant - Alpinia zerumbet - Spicy Fragrance/Edible - 6" Pot

Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. They can grow up to 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3.0 m) tall and bear colorful funnel-shaped flowers. They are grown as ornamental and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. They are also sometimes known as the pink porcelain lily, variegated ginger or butterfly ginger. The plant's long leaf blades are still used for wrapping zongzi. In Okinawa, Japan, A. zerumbet is known in the local dialect as sannin, or in Japanese as getto. Its leaves are sold as herbal tea and are also used to flavor noodles and wrap mochi rice cakes. An herbal tea is also make from the plant. The underground roots can be used as a spice ginger substitute. It can be grown outdoors in a tropical climate and makes and excellent indoor plant.

• All parts of the plant are edible
• It is native to tropical Asia and is an evergreen herb in regions not affected by frost
• All plant parts emit a spicy fragrance when bruised
• It prefers very bright, indirect light and should be keep evenly moist not wet or dry
• Zones 7-10, elsewhere bring inside in the winter or grow as a house plant