Now you can grow fresh ginger right in your home. Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. The long leaf blades, which smell like ginger when crushed, are used for wrapping zongzi, a traditional Chinese dish made of rice stuffed with different fillings. In Okinawa, Japan, its leaves are sold for making an herbal tea and are also used to flavor noodles and wrap mochi rice cakes. The species can grow up to 10 feet tall, but in gardens, and especially in northern areas where grown as an annual, they generally only get 3 or 4 feet tall. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. Grow in pots – outside in filtered sunlight in summer and bring inside for the winter. It is winter hardy in zones 8-10, although it may survive in zone 7 with winter protection. Begin to harvest roots in 2 years – just reach into the pot and break off what you need. Ginger is a heavy feeder and an even heavier drinker that needs a lot of room to grow. Choose a pretty container with good drainage holes and a deep saucer.
Shell Ginger Variegated (Alpinia zerumbet)
Description
Now you can grow fresh ginger right in your home. Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. The long leaf blades, which smell like ginger when crushed, are used for wrapping zongzi, a traditional Chinese dish made of rice stuffed with different fillings. In Okinawa, Japan, its leaves are sold for making an herbal tea and are also used to flavor noodles and wrap mochi rice cakes. The species can grow up to 10 feet tall, but in gardens, and especially in northern areas where grown as an annual, they generally only get 3 or 4 feet tall. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. Grow in pots – outside in filtered sunlight in summer and bring inside for the winter. It is winter hardy in zones 8-10, although it may survive in zone 7 with winter protection. Begin to harvest roots in 2 years – just reach into the pot and break off what you need. Ginger is a heavy feeder and an even heavier drinker that needs a lot of room to grow. Choose a pretty container with good drainage holes and a deep saucer.
