Help with Zingiber zerumbet

19 years ago

I am a Hoya " addict" , and I do not know much about ginger , so I am hoping that you " Ginger Lovers " would please help. I was over at a nearby friend's house , exploring their garden. I discovered a small clump of ginger , under an oak tree. I identified it as Zingiber zerumbet. My friends didn't know how it got there. They bought their house new, 6 years ago, and they never planted it. I wonder if it came in with the ( soil ) fill, during construction . Anyway, they gave me 2 small plants , and 2 larger individual rhizomes. Please give me growing instructions. Should I use pots ,and store them over the winter , or plant directly into the ground ? What about soil ? The original clump is growing in sand , with oak leaf litter on top. I live in central east coast Florida.

Thank you ,

Florajilly

Comments (6)

bihai
19 years ago
You can plant them directly into the ground now but these are deciduous gingers, they naturally go dormant in winter, so you may not get much out of them til next year.
florajilly
Original Author
19 years ago
Thank you , Bihai. Something great this week..... finally got the DSL service for our home computer. We have been creeping along with Dial-up , and some plant sites ,full of large photographs have been impossible to visit. I love your rainforest, and the photography is excellent. I could smell the jungle in my imagination !! I hope your greenhouse and gardens were undamaged this Sept.

Thanks again,

Florajilly
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bihai
19 years ago
Thank you very much! I appreciate your comments. I only lost a few alocasias to rot after the standing water from a huge retention pond across the way flooded my greenhouse...that and some heat stress on some of my orchids from not being able to water them for 14 days out of the month of September...I consider myself lucky in the entire scheme of things.
bigeasyjock
19 years ago
I may add you need space for this gal. It will very shortly take over a space to their liking and the tubers get massive. They will sun scald so plant in dappled shade. They are lovely tall arching gingers and look grand. The flowers are interesting too but tend to be a bit difficult to see if you aren't looking for them. The flowers start out green and get redder as the monthes pass. Give the flowers a squeeze for a suprise ;->
Mike
florajilly
Original Author
19 years ago
Mike , you indicate that I need space....the hurricanes created plenty of space !!!!! What I do need , is for my 6 live oaks to grow and regenerate their canopies. I know that zerumbet's flowers aren't too obvious or showy , however I find the pine cone shape to be very appealing. I also intend to harvest and wash my hair with some of them !!!!!
Today I went to a local garden festival and came home with Hedychium 'Elizabeth '
I must be getting bitten by the ginger bug :)

Thank you,

Florajilly
bihai
19 years ago
Don't worry about space, it takes a few seasons for these to fill in. Also, I do grow them in full sun, they won't burn if you pay attention to watering them. I have a bed planted with these, Alocasia wentii, Korean rock fern, Zngiber officianale, and Alpinia formosana that is a great planting combo.