Red Ginger

Alpinia purpurata, or red ginger, is a tropical herbaceous perennial with tall leafy stems and terminal spikes of overlapping, showy bracts. The bracts are usually red, though cultivated forms can be pink or white; the small tubular flowers are white. ## Flowers and use The National Tropical Botanical Garden reports that red ginger is used in the cut-flower industry worldwide and that its nectar attracts bees, butterflies, and birds. The National Parks Board of Singapore notes that the bracts are also used for lei making. Plants may flower while about 1 m tall and can grow to 3 m or more. ## Growing conditions Give red ginger a warm tropical or subtropical setting, with full sun or partial shade and moist, fertile, well-drained loam. The RHS lists plants up to 2.5–4 m tall and 0.5–1 m wide, and recommends growing under glass with winter temperatures of at least 16°C in cooler climates. The species spreads through rhizomes and can occupy a broad bed. ## Maintenance Water freely during active growth and more moderately in winter. Remove spent flowering shoots and yellowing leaves; divide or contain spreading rhizomes when space is limited. Sources: [National Tropical Botanical Garden](https://ntbg.org/database/plants/detail/alpinia-purpurata), [National Parks Board Singapore](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/1/6/1645), [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/52057/alpinia-purpurata/details), [UF/IFAS Extension](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/07/08/q-can-tell-red-hawaiian-ginger-plant/).