This root that puts a zesty zing into dishes from many Asian and Indian cuisines is also an incredibly beautiful and vigorous family of plants. We know ginger, most definitely for its use as a spice or a remedy, but did you know that many varieties also produce stunning floral displays?
Ginger is a tropical plant that is primarily native to Southern Asia. Many types have been naturalized in Hawaii as well. These plants grow well in the ground in tropical and sub-tropical climates and make wonderful container plants as well. In fact, if you are planting to harvest the rhizomes, growing them in containers makes the task much easier.
Many types of are deciduous, dying to the ground in winter and returning in the spring. These are great for cooler climates, as the rhizomes can be dug up and stored for the winter and re-planted in the spring.
Ginger grows quite quickly, especially the deciduous types that reach their mature height in one season. Let’s look at some of the most stunning flowering varieties that will turn your garden into an exotic paradise.
Beehive
Beehive is known for dressing up flower arrangements.
 | botanical name Zingiber spectabile |
|---|---|
 | sun requirements Full sun |
 | height 4’-5’ |
 | hardiness zones 9-11 |
The first variety on our list is a fabulously showy plant that will bring a major dose of the tropics to your garden. Who doesn’t like to feel like they’re on vacation in their backyard? The cone-shaped flowers are colorful bracts that strongly resemble another favorite, shampoo ginger.
Beehive ginger has larger bracts than its cousin, and they look like beehives. The actual flowers are small and protrude from between the bracts. In addition to looking great in the garden, these bracts and flowers dress up a cut flower arrangement.
Give your beehive ginger plenty of water. It likes moist soil. A heavy layer of mulch will go a long way toward making this plant happy. It also prefers more sun than most types, so you can plant it in full sun.
Butterfly
The flowers of butterfly ginger are very large and fragrant and prefer hot, humid climates and consistently moist soils.
| | botanical name Hedychium coronarium |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial shade |
| | height 4’-8’ |
| | hardiness zones 8-10 |
Butterfly ginger, which also goes by the name ‘ginger lily,’ is a beautiful variety that has gone in and out of fashion as a houseplant since the Victorian Era. It grows well outdoors in zones 8-10 and can overwinter most of the time in zone 7 if given a thick layer of mulch.
In late summer and early fall, butterfly ginger produces the loveliest flowers. The plant’s name comes from the shape of the flowers, which resemble pure white butterflies. The flowers have a wonderful fragrance and make excellent cut flowers, retaining their scent for up to a week in a vase.
Pollinators love these flowers. They are drawn to the sweet fragrance and appreciate the abundance of nectar they hold. This variety is deciduous, dying back to the ground in winter and re-growing in the spring.
Crepe
This ginger is known for its many medicinal uses and can be easily propagated.
| | botanical name Cheilocostus speciosus |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to bright shade |
| | height 6’ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
Crepe ginger is not considered a true ginger, but it is closely related and has a similar tuberous root system with a spicy flavor. The group of plants it belongs to is known as spiral gingers. They can be propagated by cuttings, which is an advantage over traditional gingers.
This plant has been used medicinally and cosmetically in Asia, where it is cultivated for this specific purpose, but elsewhere, it is mainly grown as an ornamental plant. The plant is beautiful, with large, bananalike leaves that can be solid green or variegated.
This variety produces gorgeous flowers that are unique and fragrant. A large red flower spike grows atop leaf-covered stems. The large white flowers bloom from between the red bracts. The flowers are funnel-shaped with ruffled edges and a warm yellow glow in the center.
Dancing Ladies
These tiny yellow flowers look like they’re dancing in the breeze.
| | botanical name Globba winitii |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Bright indirect light |
| | height 1’-2’ |
| | hardiness zones 8-11 |
‘Dancing Ladies’ ginger belongs to the Globba genus. The plants in this genus are also known as dragon gingers because of the shape of their flowers. Long pendulous rows of red bracts hang from the plant’s stems, and smaller, delicate yellow flowers extend from each of the bracts.
Keep this plant out of direct sunlight, as the leaves are sensitive to the sun and will turn yellow with direct exposure. ‘Dancing Ladies’ is a tropical understory plant, so it prefers bright shade or bright but indirect sunlight.
The name ‘Dancing Ladies’ comes from how the flowers dance in the slightest breeze. These lovely stems make very nice, long-lasting cut flowers. The plant will go dormant in the winter, so don’t forget where you planted it. It will return in the spring and multiply.
Hidden
Also lovingly referred to as the “queen ginger,” these flowers last longer than most when cut for arrangements.
| | botanical name Curcuma petiolata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial shade |
| | height 1’-3’ |
| | hardiness zones 8-10 |
Curcuma gingers are some of the most stunning tropical plants I can imagine. You may recognize this particular species by the name ‘Siam Lily’ as it is commonly called when sold at nurseries. Hidden ginger is another common name for this incredibly pretty plant.
This type is typically considered root hardy in zones 8-10 but can usually be grown in zone 7 and sometimes even zone 6 if given a healthy heaping pile of mulch over the winter. The plant stays smaller than most gingers and will not spread as quickly but comes back year after year just slightly larger than the last.
The flowers produced by this species are large and very showy. Some people call these the queen of ginger plants. The blooms are usually white or pink and sometimes purple. They are not particularly fragrant, but they are long-lasting both on the plant and in a vase.
Kahili
The Kahili Ginger will reach a height of 5′-6′ tall and needs plenty of room to spread out.
| | botanical name Hedychium gardnerianum |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 5’-6’ |
| | hardiness zones 8-10 |
As a winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, you know this will be a special plant. ‘Kahili’ ginger is a large, striking ginger that is treasured as an ornamental for its spectacular floral display and exceptional vigor in the garden.
If you decide to keep this plant in a container, ensure it’s sturdy. The hefty root system of this plant has been known to break containers if they are not large enough to make room for the seasonal spread. This plant is wonderful for filling large spaces in the garden with its attractive and hardy tropical foliage.
The main attraction for this species is not the attractive foliage, although it certainly is that. ‘Kahili’ ginger produces spectacular flowers. In late summer, huge flower spikes burst into bloom. Dozens of bright yellow and orange flowers cover each raceme, with the panicles close to a foot long! This dramatic plant will bring a ton of interest to the landscape.
Mango
This type loves full sun to partial shade.
| | botanical name Curcuma amada |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3’- 4’ |
| | hardiness zones 8 -11 |
Mango ginger is edible as well as beautiful. This wonderful ginger will add an ethereal beauty to the garden. The foliage is attractive, with large, broad, and smooth green leaves. Both the leaves and the flowers look great in cut flower arrangements.
The flowers on mango ginger resemble those of the commonly known ‘Siam Tulip,’ except this plant and its flowers are significantly larger. The plant reaches up to 4’ tall in a season and produces beautiful pink and white bracts with yellow flowers throughout the summer.
Keep mango ginger in partial shade. Too much sun will scorch its leaves. The root is edible, as most gingers are, but it has a sweeter, milder flavor than common ginger. The name comes from the scent of the roots, which smell very much like a ripe mango. Yum!
Oxblood
The oxblood ginger makes a wonderful indoor plant if maintained in the right climate and conditions.
| | botanical name Costus Erythrophyllus Rubra |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3’ |
| | hardiness zones 9 -11 |
For a unique ginger plant, oxblood is a rare and beautiful species. Rather than long leaves that grow individually from the rhizome, ‘Oxblood’ has tall stems with shorter leaves that grow in a spiral from bottom to top. The leaves are dark green on one side and a deep, rich red on the underside.
‘Oxblood’ ginger works well as an indoor plant, as it appreciates a consistent temperature. Bright, partial shade is the ideal lighting condition for this plant. This species produces pretty white flowers from cones at the top of its leafy stems throughout the summer. Keep the soil moist and freely draining.
Pineapple
The pineapple ginger plant can reach 8′ tall or more, depending on its environment.
| | botanical name Tapeinochilos ananassae |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial shade |
| | height 6’- 8’ |
| | hardiness zones 10 -11 |
This large, striking ginger usually grows up to eight feet tall but can be much taller in its native environment, where it reaches up to 16 feet tall. It has large, bamboo-like stems around which spiral the shiny, deep green leaves.
Keep this ginger in partial shade or bright indirect light for best results. Also known as Indonesian wax ginger, the inflorescences resemble large, red, upside-down pineapples, from where its common name is derived.
The flowers are large and impressive, like the rest of the plant. Like most ginger flowers, they last a long time after cutting. Add these to your dining room table arrangement for an infusion of tropical drama.
Shampoo
Shampoo ginger is known for its cosmetic uses because of its sweet fragrance.
| | botanical name Zingiber zerumbet |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Partial sun |
| | height 3’- 4’ |
| | hardiness zones 8 -11 |
Easy to grow and useful, too, shampoo ginger is a popular variety. This plant’s inflorescences contain a sweet-smelling fluid used for cosmetic purposes. This fluid can cleanse and condition the hair, and it smells divine.
Native to India, Polynesian settlers brought this wonderful plant to Hawaii, where it has become naturalized. The roots are edible but have a bitter flavor.
This plant grows very well in a large container here in zone 8. It will survive the winter and return in spring, though, planted in the ground. It is a fairly cold-tolerant species and doesn’t require much attention once established.
Tahitian
Some species of the Tahitian ginger have been known to bloom all year round in the right conditions.
| | botanical name Alpina purpurata |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 8’ |
| | hardiness zones 8 -11 |
This large and imposing ginger grows up to eight feet tall! In tropical climates, some varieties of this species are year-round bloomers. Also known as red ginger, the large bracts on this ginger are brilliant red and house small, fragrant flowers. The scent is citrusy, spicy, and simply divine.
Plant Tahitian ginger in full sun to keep it blooming. The extra-long blooming season makes this a wonderful ornamental. Dwarf varieties make great container plants as they remain smaller but still have the wonderful, colorful bracts and sweet-smelling flowers of the full-sized varieties.
Give your Tahitian ginger plenty of water in the summer. If you bring this ginger indoors in the winter, scale back on watering as the plant goes dormant, and too much water can lead to root rot.
Torch
Torch ginger is a fast grower and can reach an impressive height of 15 feet tall.
| | botanical name Etlingera elatior |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height up to 15’ |
| | hardiness zones 9-11 |
Another ginger that brings heaps of tropical drama to the garden, torch ginger is large, colorful, and fabulous! It is a fast grower, reaching heights of up to 15 feet, with nearly as wide a spread. This is a large plant that needs a special spot in the garden. You won’t regret giving it the real estate once you see it bloom.
Give your torch ginger some protection from the afternoon sun. The morning sun can be direct, but too much sun exposure can burn your beautiful leaves. Torch ginger is known for its stunningly large, beautiful flowers, regularly used in floral design and culinary arts.
The flowers are mostly red with some white or pink and surrounded by soft, red bracts. They have a sweet and sour flavor and a fragrance similar to lemongrass mixed with mint.
Yellow
Yellow ginger is known for its very strong, delicious spelling fragrance and delicate appearance.
| | botanical name Hedychium flavescens |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 6’ |
| | hardiness zones 8-11 |
Our last ginger is one of the most deliciously fragrant, and it’s beautiful, as well. Yellow ginger’s wonderful, pale yellow and cream-colored flowers are the picture of loveliness; their scent is strong and far-reaching. You will want to keep this ginger close to your living space.
Yellow ginger can tolerate full sun or partial shade. Shelter from the hot afternoon sun will help prevent scorched leaves and keep the flowers fresh for a longer period. This ginger multiplies so quickly in tropical climates that some countries consider it invasive!
Final Thoughts
So many beautiful flowering gingers make it difficult to choose just one. Fortunately, ginger can be grown from rhizomes very easily, and it isn’t difficult to have exotic and interesting varieties shipped directly to your front door. Spice up your garden by planting one of these wonderful flowering ginger plants!
