Red Ginger or Alpinia purpurata are Malaysian plants from ginger family with showy flowers growing from brightly colored red flower bracts. They can also be found in different areas of Southeast Asia.
Unlike what most people believed that the cone-shaped bloom appearing as the central attraction of the tropical plant is the plant’s flower, the true flower of Red Ginger plants are actually the small flowers produced at the top sides of this cone.
First on our list are those “shell” gingers. These are Alpinias and are called as shell gingers because of their seashell-shaped flowers.
Those lovely spirals or “spiral” gingers are called Costus. Costus have flower petals that open from a cone which is situated at the terminus of the stems. Gingers that carry a mysterious effect are the “hidden” gingers.
They are called as such because their colorful flowers are hidden among their large foliage. Although Dichorisandra is a not a true ginger, it is still called a ginger because of its upright clusters of deep violet-blue flowers that are very similar to those produced by true-blooded gingers.
Have you seen those flowers that look like ballerinas? Those are Globbas. The showiest among the gingers are the “butterfly” gingers or the Hedychiums or Hedychium greenii.
Floral designers make use of the alpinia purpurata red ginger as ornamental plants because of their unique beauty.
Kaempferias or the “peacock” gingers are usually used in lower level arrangements since they are low growing decoratively-patterned garden plants.