Ginger, Yellow (Zingiber officinale)
Pungent, spicy ginger is an herbaceous perennial in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) native to tropical and subtropical Asia. It is one of the earliest traded spices from Asia to India, then on to the Middle East and Europe.
The knobby, underground rhizomes, fresh or powdered, are used as an integral part of Asian cuisine in meat, fish, vegetarian dishes, and desserts. In the West, it adds a zing to herbal teas, candies, baked goods like gingersnaps and gingerbread, and beverages like ginger ale and ginger wine. The young shoots and leaves are also edible and can be used as a fresh condiment, garnish, or as a vegetable. In folk medicine, it is used to treat nausea and vomiting.
Ginger plants grow in 3-foot-high spreading clumps and have a reedy appearance with long, narrow leaf blades in two ranks along the length of the stems. In the fall, cone-shaped spikes of pink and white buds open into yellow-green flowers with purple lips that are often sterile, especially when container-grown, and don’t produce seeds.
Ginger can be planted as a perennial in warm climates, in containers, or as an annual in cooler climates. It will grow in full sun or partial shade in rich, organic, well-draining soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11.
Plant Type:
Rhizomatous Perennial Herb
Harvest Season:
Turmeric: Late Summer - early Winter or after 8-10 months of planting.
Mature Size:
Turmeric: Up to about 3 ft. tall
Ginger: Up to 3 ft. tall
Lesser Galangal: Up to 6 ft. tall
Greater Galangal: Up to 10 ft. tall
Soil & Moisture:
Loose, nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. Water in the Spring and Summer. Do not water when dormant.
Light Requirements:
Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Self-Fertile:
Yes
Growth Rate:
Medium for Turmeric and Ginger: capable of harvest after 8-10 months.
Slow for Lesser Galangal: best after 2 years of growth.
Zone Hardiness:
Outdoors 8-11 (frost protection until established); Patio/Greenhouse 4+
Propagation:
Our Root Plants are grown from division and tissue culture and are capable of harvest within growing season.