Ginger is a widespread medicinal, spice and ornamental plant. Various beneficial properties are attributed to the root of ginger, it is used for weight loss, treating colds, etc. However, few people imagine how this useful plant blooms.
Ginger flower
There are over 1000 types of ginger, which are grouped into 47 genera. Therefore, there is no definite complete answer to the question of what ginger looks like. There are completely decorative species, such as the Siamese tulip or the ginger lily, and there are also common species that are used for cooking and healing.
Ginger sprouts are similar to not too long sharpened pencils, in Thailand they are often added to food, I must say that Thais often use ginger flowers for cooking.
Ginger forms rather thin pseudostems from folded leaves. These stems are often intense pink at the bottom and are a pretty sight on their own. Ginger root is actually a rhizome, that is, an underground stem, rhizome and pseudostems can resemble a palm with phalanges of fingers. All parts of the plant have a pronounced lemon aroma. In its natural environment, ginger grows in tropical forests, mainly in Southeast Asia.
The bloom of ginger is a pretty sight to behold. The plant produces flowers on long basal stems. Depending on the genus of ginger, the flowers can be yellow, purple, white, red, or even combine different shades in one inflorescence. By the way, the inflorescences can resemble cones in shape, large double flowers or even lilies. In order for ginger to bloom, several conditions must be observed at the same time: high humidity and temperature, and at the same time the absence of direct sunlight.
Ginger as a houseplant
If you are growing ginger as an ornamental plant, plant the rhizomes in small pots and do not dig them up for the winter (for several years) after the top of the plant has withered. Rhizomes dormant in pots require occasional minimal watering, just enough to keep the soil slightly moist. When the ginger resumes its growth in the spring, start watering it and feeding it with suitable fertilizers (ideal for flowering house flowers with a lot of potassium). To make the ginger bloom, provide it with sufficient watering, high humidity, warmth, and protect it from direct sunlight.
To grow ginger, it is enough to take a piece of relatively fresh rhizome, the cut points should be immediately powdered with activated charcoal or ash. Place a piece of rhizome in warm water for a few hours to awaken it to growth, then plant it in a pot. If all goes well, the first shoots will appear in a couple of weeks.
