Alpinia caerulea (R.Br.) Benth.

Plant to 2 m tall. Leaves shortly petiolate or sessile, glabrous; lamina lanceolate, acuminate, to 40 cm long, 3.5–10 cm wide; ligule to 15 mm long, entire or shallowly emarginate. Inflorescence 12–30 cm long, usually shortly pubescent; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 15–20 mm long, each subtending a cincinnus of up to 6 flowers; bracteoles 5–15 mm long; pedicels 1–2 cm long. Calyx c. 10 mm long. Corolla tube c. 12–14 mm long; lobes 5–8 mm long. Labellum orbicular, shortly clawed, shortly bilobed, c. 1 cm diam., purplish. Lateral staminodes 1 mm long. Filament 2–3 mm long; anther 2–3 mm long; crest 1–2 mm long, entire. Ovary to 6 mm long, usually pubescent, trilocular. Capsule indehiscent, c. 1 cm diam.

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest. It needs moist well drained soil. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens hot house. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.

The flesh of the fruit is eaten. The tips of the rhizome is edible. It has a ginger taste. These young rhizomes are eaten raw or cooked.

Plants are grown by division of the rhizome. They can also be grown by seed. Fresh seed must be used. They should be soaked for 24 hours before sowing.