Characteristics
A ginger family herb which is dormant for part of the year. It has underground stems. It is the largest of the gingers. It can be 4 m tall. The leaves are sword shaped and 50 cm long. They are softly downy underneath. The bracts which enclose the flower are yellow at first but can become red later. They are scoop shaped and waxy. The flowers are produced at ground level on separate shoots. These are 25 cm long. The flowers are cream with purple near the edges.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
herb
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
0.5 - 1.0
|
| Mature height (meter) |
2.5 - 4.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a tropical plant. It suits seasonally moist and dry climates. It needs fertile, organically-rich, well-drained soils. It does well in bright shade. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. Cairns Botanical Gardens.
| Light |
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The rhizome is sometimes used as a flavouring.
Cultivation
Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.
| Mode |
divisions
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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