Red Ginger

Here's another classic tropical plant, Alpinia purpurata, or red ginger:


Yes, this is the plant that is responsible to adding that great ginger flavor to so many foods, and of course, ginger ale, too. You can recognize the flavor, if you rub your fingers against the large, lanceloate leaves.


And ginger, like Heliconia, is a repeating tropical that works quite well as a cut flower and can be found in most floral shops.

Alpinia is named after Prospero Alpino, a 16th century Italian botanist.