Zingiber officinale

'Culinary Ginger' is the fat, knobby, aromatic rhizome of Zingiber officinale, a tender herbaceous perennial native to humid, partly-shaded habitats in moist tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia. Ginger is grown for the hot, pungent flavor of the rhizome which can be used fresh, dried, ground or preserved. The thick, branched rhizomes have a brown outer skin that is very thin and the edible interior portion is pale yellow with a spicy, almost lemony scent. Ginger plants grow shoots 3-4 feet tall from the rhizomes, gradually spreading outwards to eventually form a dense clump. Clumps need to be at least two years old before they will flower. The terminal inflorescence is a dense, cone-shaped flower composed of a series of greenish or yellowish bracts. Cream to yellowish green flowers, each with a mauve or deep purple lip, protrude just beyond the green bracts. The plants will go dormant and lose all the stems with the onset of cooler temperatures. Plants should not be watered when leafless and dormant. 'Ginger' thrives in warm, humid, partially shaded conditions and in well-draining soil. (Pot size: 1 gallon)