Ginger In Bloom
Zingiber officinale
Oh how I love my ginger. This common edible ginger is one of the oldest known and widely used spices.
The native range is tropical Asia, but it is now widely grown in all tropical growing zones 9 to 12.
I am in zone 9b which is on the lower edge of compatibility. When the temps drop below 50, the leaves die back and the rhizomes are covered with a deep layer of mulch, usually leaf mold.
My ginger grows to approximately 2 1/2 feet in height in it's current semi-shaded position. I have tried to create an environment similar to a forest floor under the tall oaks, which it seems to love.
That is fantastic to see it blooming. How long has this rhizome been growing in this spot undisturbed? Do they usually bloom this time of year when the temperatures cool down? I finally got some growing really well outside this year, but I am thinking of harvesting them and putting them into an indoor pot for the winter. We get freezing temperatures November through March where I live.
That particular rhizome has been there just one year. I had one bloom in my vegetable garden after one year as well. It was out in the full sun, but didn't seem to thrive as well so I moved them to the semi shaded area. We have brutal summer sun here in central Florida and from what I've read the ginger should do great, but is seems to do better on the edge of the woods. This one bloomed during this last blast of summer - we've had mid to upper 80's this past week. Now this morning is 58 degrees and it has given up LOL
I'm going to let this one overwinter in this spot and see what it does. Last year I brought some in for replanting in the spring and that worked well, too! It's all experimentation for me so far lol.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!