Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Red White | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H1ABotanical details
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Alpinia are evergreen, clump-forming perennials with ginger-scented rhizomes. Strong, slender, reed-like stems to 3m high support lance-shaped leaves and sprays of flowers with showy, colourful bracts
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow under glass with a minimum temperature of 16°C in winter, in loam-based compost with added leaf mould and composted bark. Position in bright, filtered light, ideally in a border where growth will not be constricted. Water freely in the growing season and moderately in winter
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown at 20°C as soon as ripe, or by division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- Sub-tropical
- Conservatory and greenhouse
Pruning
Cut out flowered stems in spring
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.