Alpinia zerumbet - Shell Ginger

is that related at all to the root ginger that we cook with ~ that has quite a different flower doesnt it?

Yes, it is in the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family.

can you cook with the root of this one?

I'm not sure. Aleyna in Porto Alegre, Brazil says the seeds can be ground and used in cooking. I used to have so many of this plant and it's variegated form along huge fences, when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Turmeric, cardamon and the true cooking ginger grows outdoors all year here in San Diego. Turmeric is very tropical, cardamon and true ginger is slightly hardier. I have photos of all these posted on GoY. My former neighbor is suppose to give me some turmeric plants.

I shall look them up, thanks delonix

i put those names in the search box, plus the latin name for turmeric but i cant find them?

I'll find them. It's much more difficult to find my older pics since they removed the "look up" feature on my photos.

I found my photo of the cardamon plant; unfortunately, I can't find the other photos. :>(

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/188559-cardamon-elettaria-cardamomum/all

Here's a photo, not mine, though of turmeric.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.eteddybear.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/turmeric-plants.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.eteddybear.co.uk/beauty/turmeric-an-ancient-plant/&h=2448&w=3264&sz=1493&tbnid=0f8qIGY8nx8D_M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3DTurmeric%2Bplant%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Turmeric+plant&usg=__vfdKX6XrWg19WA7GYVqobl_hmIA=&docid=1lb-wYSwTFrhfM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=c146UYP5Esqe2gXI04DICw&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAg&dur=320

the leaves of the two are almost similar? it must have been fascinating discovering some roots, some seed pods, some leaves have uses. Im not sure i would have tried eating all of them to find out.

fascinating to learn about though ~ thanks delonix

Many of the leaves of gingers are very similar. There's so many genera and thousands of species.

"The common Shell Ginger" - it's a goddamn rarity over here Delonix!!!!!!

Sticki - here's a photo that I took at Oxfords botanic gardens of an opened flower.................

http://bit.ly/YoVUjP

And the whole racamme...............

http://bit.ly/YoWluy

oh WOW ~ thanks meanie, love the colour in the first opened one but the second one is incredible! love it

Stickitoffee:

I have dozens of this plant in full bloom on GoY. Sorry, I didn't post one for you to see in full bloom.

Thanks for doing that, Meanie!

Here's a couple more growing outside, not in a greenhouse. LOL! :>)

http://www.growsonyou.com/plant/slideshow/Alpinia_zerumbet/258921

http://www.growsonyou.com/plant/slideshow/Alpinia_zerumbet/258920-alpinia-zerumbet-shell-ginger

http://www.growsonyou.com/plant/slideshow/Alpinia_zerumbet/50778

Meanie:

You're too funny! You know it's all relative! LOL! :>)

You can continue to be envious of all the exotic plants which grow outside here. LOL!

I think your Allamanda "Cherries Jubilee" seeds will be ripe soon. I'll let you know.

what an incredible group of plants they are ~ amazing!!

Yes, gingers are amazing flowering plants! Alpinia purpurata and it's pink variety is gorgeous!!! It doesn't grow in San Diego very well, as it's super tropical.