Description

Ginger is one of our favorite plants to include in a foodscape or edible garden. The leafy, grassy foliage adds a tropical backdrop for more colorful plants. It grows well throughout the state, too, as long as the soil is amended with organic matter. And for gardeners with tree-covered landscapes, ginger is one of the few crops that loves some shade.

Characteristics

While ornamental gingers come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, edible ginger is generally grown for its root. Zingiber officinale has narrow leaf blades and reaches only 2-3 feet tall. The foliage is bright green and lush. In autumn, mature plants produce flower spikes with yellow-green, pink, or purple-tipped flowers. Edible ginger is best known for its underground stems, or rhizomes. This is the part of the plant that produces the “ginger” spice we love. The rhizomes are plump and tan, growing a few inches below the soil. When cut they smell pungent and spicy.