Ginger Plants

Ginger plants, also known as root ginger is a group of plants that is used for a variety of different purposes including decorative landscaping, use and consumption of the ginger root as both a spice and as a food, and using the root as a medicine. Ginger plants refer to the family of plants rather than a specific one. Most people will likely be most familiar with the edible root ginger variety whose roots are commonly sold in many grocery and specialty food stores for various culinary and medicinal applications.

Ginger plants were originally cultivated in Southern Asia, but have spread to other parts of the world especially Africa, Caribbean, and other tropical climates.  While most different varieties of ginger plants will vary in size and specific characteristics, most ginger plants do produce beautiful clusters of flowers that make them aesthetically appealing ornamental additions to almost any garden.  Different varieties of ginger plants are both evergreen and able to grow indoors and outdoors year round and none evergreen where the root or bulb will enter a dormant period during the winter.

The edible food ginger, is a very versatile edible ingredient that is a staple part of many Japanese, Indian, Chinese, and other Asian dishes.  Dry textured mature ginger is commonly uses a spice and fragrance enhancer in a wide variety of recipes.  Softer “young” ginger can be pickled or cooked as a vegetable.  It can be boiled in hot water to make tea.  When combined with sugar or some other sweetener, ginger candies and other confectioneries can be produced.  Ginger is not solely limited to being an ingredient to the Asian dishes, but is also commonly used in a number of different western foods and recipes including ginger snaps, gingerbread cookies, ginger ale, and more.

Some of the other non- edible ornamental varieties of the ginger plant are popular choices for planting in many gardens as they have fragrant long lasting flower blooms. Other ginger plant varieties like Alpinias which is also known as Bamboo Ginger also have beautiful foliage patterns.