Alpinia Species, Red Bamboo Ginger

Not quite as showy as the Costus Vargasii "Raspberry Yogurt," but like the Vargasii, this ginger is maroon-colored under the leaves and p...Read Morerefers mostly shade & regular water.

I have a new plant and am wondering if it's edible as well. It is a pot and does like regular watering.

the "red"in the name refers to the underside of the leaves--they're actually a dark purple-red color below and medium green above. very p...Read Moreretty. i have had this plant in three places in my garden, but it was scrubby and unhappy until i potted it and kept it moist. i've had it about 4 years and no flowers yet (only about a year in its new happy setting). i have read that the "luteocarpa" in the name refers to a yellow fruit which forms behind the spent blooms. don't know if it's edible. the leaves do not smell gingery like other alpinias when crushed, but they do have a mild, fruity fragrance. where i now have it, and where it's happiest so far, is in filtered shade in a mossy clay pot, nestled among other damp greenery. quite striking with it's dark reverse, but not terrifically showy.