Alpinia

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Features:	✓	flowers
Flower features:	❀	red

Scientific Names

Zingiberaceae >

Alpinia >

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Alpinia is a rather large genus of plants, with more than 230 species from the Ginger family (Zingiberaceae).

DNA sequence-based methods (See : References) have shown that this genus is polyphyletic. It is represented by six clades distributed across the tribe Alpinieae, that do not correspond to Smith's (1990) classification of the genus (See : References). Further research is needed to specify the taxa in this genus.

They occur in tropical and subtropical climates of Asia and the Pacific, and are in great demand as ornamentals because of their flashy flowers.

These plants grow from large rhizomes. The stem consists of closely folded blades, such as in banana trees. The flowers grow on long racemes.

Read about Alpinia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Alpinia (Prosper Alpinus, an Italian botanist). Zingiberaceae. Stove herbs, cultivated both for leaves and the racemes or panicles of flowers. Many-std. leafy plants, with ginger-like rhizomes: fls. in spikes or panicles terminating the leafy sts., often showy; calyx wide-tubular or nearly bell-form, the tube short and the 3 points or parts erect; corolla of 3 parte; stamens reduced to 1 pollen-bearing organ, and 1 or more staminodia, one of the staminodia being showy and longer than corolla and notched or toothed: fr. a 3- celled caps.—About 150 species in Polynesia, Japan, and E. India. Some of the cult. forms have undoubtedly been referred to Alpinia without knowledge of the botanical characters, and their botanical position is therefore doubtful. Monogr. in Engler, Pflanzenreich, hft. 20 (1904). Alpinia contains many handsome species, but only a few are common in cultivation. They are tropical plants and require a moist air and a temperature of 55° to 60° F. A mixture of two parts loam, one part leaf-mold, and one part dried cow-manure forms an excellent compost. While growing, they need an abundance of water, and the large-growing kinds require large pots or tubs. After flowering, allow them to rest in heat, but do not dry them off. The plants are propagated by division in the spring. A. nutans is grown for its handsome flowers and attains a height of 12 or 13 feet. A. vittata is popular on account of its variegated foliage. A. mutica has very showy flowers, but is apparently little known in the trade. Many kinds of these interesting ornamental plants are likely to find their way into choice collections. Some of them are as follows: A. gigantea. Blume, reported in S. Calif., very tall, even to more than 20 ft., with very large nodding panicle.—A. japónica, once catalogued in U. S., but not known whether it was the ?. japónica of Thunberg.—A. longepetioldta. coming from W. Trop. Afr., of robust habit, 6 ft.: lvs. elliptic, the uppermost linear, wing-petioled: fls. white or rose in terminal panicle, purple-spotted.—A. magnífica, Roscoe -Phaeomeria magnifica.—A. Nieuwenhùizii. Valet. (A. borneensis, Valet.), distinct species, 4-6 ft.: lvs. 2 ft. or less long: fls. purple-lipped, in panicle« 12 in. long: fr. large. Borneo.—A. officinarum, Hance. Supplying the "radix Galangae minoris" of pharmacists, once used as an aromatic stimulant by Arabs and Greeks: rhizome thick, creeping, the et. tuberous at base: lvs. narrowly lanceolate, long-acuminate: fls. white in simple spike, the lip red- nerved. China. B.M. 6995.—A. pumila, Hook. f. Lvs. from root- stock, 6 in. or less, on petioles 2-4 in.: fls. in short spike, 1 in. long, pink, the lip recurved, on a very short scape. China. B.M. 6832. -1. Schumanniàna, Valet. (A. fimbriata, Gagn.). 3-5 ft.: lvs. lanceolate, 18 in. long, 1½ in. broad: fls. purple in spikes, handsome. Formosa.—A. zingiberina. Hook. f. 4-5 it.: lvs. oblanceolate, oblong, cuspidate, 12 in. or less long, 3 in. broad: fls. greenish, the lip white veined crimson, in panicles. Siam. B.M. 6944. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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Species

Common species:

• Alpinia abundiflora
• Alpinia acrostachya
• Alpinia caerulea - Australian Native Ginger
• Alpinia conchigera - Lesser Alpinia
• Alpinia emaculata
• Alpinia galanga - Greater Galingal
• Alpinia javanica - Javanese Alpinia
• Alpinia melanocarpa - Black-fruited Alpinia
• Alpinia mutica - Small Shell Ginger, Orchid Ginger, Narrow-leaved Alpinia
• Alpinia nutans - Dwarf Cardamom, Ginger Lily, Shell Ginger
• Alpinia officinarum - Lesser Galangal, Chinese Ginger
• Alpinia petiolata - Stalked-leaved Alpinia
• Alpinia purpurata - Red Ginger, Ostrich Plume, Jungle Queen, Pink Cone Ginger
• Alpinia pyramidata - Java Galangal
• Alpinia rafflesiana - Raffles' Alpinia
• Alpinia speciosa - Shellflower, Shellplant
• Alpinia striata
• Alpinia zerumbet - Golden Lotus, Shell Ginger)
• Alpinia zingiberina

Less common species:

• Alpinia acuminata
• Alpinia aenea
• Alpinia affinis
• Alpinia agiokuensis
• Alpinia alata
• Alpinia albertisii
• Alpinia albipurpurea
• Alpinia allugas
• Alpinia amentacea
• Alpinia angustifolia
• Alpinia annabellae
• Alpinia antillarum
• Alpinia apoensis
• Alpinia aquatica
• Alpinia arctiflora
• Alpinia arfakensis
• Alpinia arundelliana
• Alpinia assimilis
• Alpinia athroantha
• Alpinia aurantiaca
• Alpinia auriculata
• Alpinia bambusifolia
• Alpinia beamanii
• Alpinia biakensis
• Alpinia bicalyculata
• Alpinia bifida
• Alpinia bilamellata
• Alpinia bisculata
• Alpinia blepharocalyx
• Alpinia blumei
• Alpinia boia
• Alpinia boninsimensis
• Alpinia borneensis
• Alpinia borraginoides
• Alpinia brachyantha
• Alpinia brachypoda
• Alpinia bracteata
• Alpinia brevilabris
• Alpinia brevis
• Alpinia brevituba
• Alpinia burkillii
• Alpinia calcarata
• Alpinia calcicola
• Alpinia calycodes
• Alpinia campanaria
• Alpinia cannaefolium
• Alpinia capitellata
• Alpinia cardamomum-medium
• Alpinia carinata
• Alpinia carnea
• Alpinia carolinensis
• Alpinia celebica
• Alpinia cernua
• Alpinia chaunocolea
• Alpinia chinensis
• Alpinia chrysorachis
• Alpinia coerulea
• Alpinia coeruleo-viridis
• Alpinia colossea
• Alpinia comosa
• Alpinia condensata
• Alpinia conferta
• Alpinia congesta
• Alpinia conghuaensis
• Alpinia conglomerata
• Alpinia copelandii
• Alpinia corallina
• Alpinia coriacea
• Alpinia coriandriodora
• Alpinia cornu-cervi
• Alpinia cristata
• Alpinia crocodocalyx
• Alpinia cumingii
• Alpinia cylindrocephala
• Alpinia dasystachys
• Alpinia decurva
• Alpinia decurvata
• Alpinia dekockii
• Alpinia densespictata
• Alpinia densibractetata
• Alpinia densiflora
• Alpinia diffissa
• Alpinia divaricata
• Alpinia dolichocephala
• Alpinia domatifera
• Alpinia dyeri
• Alpinia edanoi
• Alpinia elmeri
• Alpinia elwesii
• Alpinia engleriana
• Alpinia eremochlamys
• Alpinia eremochlamys
• Alpinia euastra
• Alpinia eubractea
• Alpinia eustales
• Alpinia exostylis
• Alpinia flabellata
• Alpinia flava
• Alpinia flexistamen
• Alpinia fluvitialis
• Alpinia formosana
• Alpinia foxworthyi
• Alpinia fraseriana
• Alpinia fusiformis
• Alpinia gagnepainii
• Alpinia gigantea
• Alpinia glabra
• Alpinia glabrescens
• Alpinia glacicaerulea
• Alpinia globosa
• Alpinia gracilis
• Alpinia gracillima
• Alpinia graminea
• Alpinia grandiceps
• Alpinia grandis
• Alpinia guinanensis
• Alpinia haenkei
• Alpinia hagena
• Alpinia hainanensis
• Alpinia hamiltoniana
• Alpinia hansenii
• Alpinia havilandii
• Alpinia hemsleyanan
• Alpinia henryi
• Alpinia hibinoi
• Alpinia himantoglossa
• Alpinia hirsuta
• Alpinia hokutensis
• Alpinia homeana
• Alpinia hookeriana
• Alpinia hulstijnii
• Alpinia humilis
• Alpinia hylandii
• Alpinia illustris
• Alpinia intermedia
• Alpinia involucrata
• Alpinia iriomotensis
• Alpinia janowskii
• Alpinia japonica
• Alpinia jianganfeng
• Alpinia jingxiensis
• Alpinia kainantensis
• Alpinia katsumadae
• Alpinia kelungensis
• Alpinia kermesina
• Alpinia kiungensis
• Alpinia kiushiana
• Alpinia koidzumiana
• Alpinia korthalsii
• Alpinia koshunensis
• Alpinia kumatahe
• Alpinia kusshakuensis
• Alpinia kwangsiensis
• Alpinia laosensis
• Alpinia latilabris
• Alpinia lauterbachii
• Alpinia laxiflora
• Alpinia laxisecunda
• Alpinia leptostachya
• Alpinia ligulata
• Alpinia linguiformis
• Alpinia longepetiola
• Alpinia luteo-carpa
• Alpinia maclurei
• Alpinia maclurei
  guangdongensis
• Alpinia macrantha
• Alpinia macrocarpa
• Alpinia macrocephala
• Alpinia macroscaphis
• Alpinia macrostemon
• Alpinia macroura
• Alpinia maculata
• Alpinia malaccensis
• Alpinia malaccensis nobilis
• Alpinia manii
• Alpinia manostachys
• Alpinia martinii
• Alpinia maxii
• Alpinia mediomaculata
• Alpinia menghaiensis
• Alpinia mesanthera
• Alpinia microlophon
• Alpinia missionis
• Alpinia modesta
• Alpinia mollis
• Alpinia mollissima
• Alpinia molucana
• Alpinia monopleura
• Alpinia multispicata
• Alpinia murdochii
• Alpinia musaefedia
• Alpinia myriocratera
• Alpinia nanchuanensis
• Alpinia napoensis
• Alpinia neesana
• Alpinia nidus-vespae
• Alpinia nieuwenhuizii
• Alpinia novae-hiberniae
• Alpinia novae-pommeraniae
• Alpinia nupiocratera
• Alpinia oblongifolia
• Alpinia oceanica
• Alpinia odontonema
• Alpinia oligantha
• Alpinia orchioides
• Alpinia orthostachys
• Alpinia ovata
• Alpinia ovoidocarpa
• Alpinia oxymitra
• Alpinia oxyphylla
• Alpinia padacanca
• Alpinia pahangensis
• Alpinia papuana
• Alpinia parviflora
• Alpinia pectinata
• Alpinia penduliflora
• Alpinia penicillata
• Alpinia philippinensis
• Alpinia phoenicea
• Alpinia pininga
• Alpinia pinnanensis
• Alpinia platychilus
• Alpinia plectophylla
• Alpinia plumieri
• Alpinia polyantha
• Alpinia porphyrea
• Alpinia porphyrocarpa
• Alpinia porrecta
• Alpinia pricei
• Alpinia psilogyna
• Alpinia pterocalyx
• Alpinia ptychanthera
• Alpinia pulcherrima
• Alpinia pumila
• Alpinia punicea
• Alpinia quadriloba
• Alpinia racimigera
• Alpinia racemosa
• Alpinia rafflesiana
• Alpinia rechingeri
• Alpinia regia
• Alpinia reticosa
• Alpinia rheedii
• Alpinia rigida
• Alpinia rolfei
• Alpinia romblonensis
• Alpinia romburghiana
• Alpinia rosacea
• Alpinia roscoeana
• Alpinia rosea
• Alpinia rosella
• Alpinia roxburghii
• Alpinia rubella
• Alpinia rubra
• Alpinia rubricaulis
• Alpinia rubromaculata
• Alpinia salamonensis
• Alpinia samoensis
• Alpinia sanderae
• Alpinia sandsii
• Alpinia sasakii
• Alpinia satsumensis
• Alpinia schultzei
• Alpinia schumanniana
• Alpinia secunda
• Alpinia secundiflora
• Alpinia seimundii
• Alpinia sericea
• Alpinia sericiflora
• Alpinia serrulata
• Alpinia shimadae
• Alpinia siamensis
• Alpinia sibuyanensis
• Alpinia silvicola
• Alpinia simsii
• Alpinia singuliflora
• Alpinia smithiae
• Alpinia spicata
• Alpinia squarrosa
• Alpinia stachyodes
• Alpinia stapfiana
• Alpinia stenobracteolata
• Alpinia stenostachys
• Alpinia strobilacea
• Alpinia strobiliformis
• Alpinia subfusicarpa
• Alpinia submutica
• Alpinia subspicata
• Alpinia subverticillata
• Alpinia suishaensis
• Alpinia takaminei
• Alpinia tamacuensis
• Alpinia tomentosa
• Alpinia tonkinensis
• Alpinia tonrokuensis
• Alpinia trachyascus
• Alpinia tricolor
• Alpinia tubulata
• Alpinia unilateralis
• Alpinia uraiensis
• Alpinia uviformis
• Alpinia valetoniana
• Alpinia vanoverberghii
• Alpinia velutina
• Alpinia versicolor
• Alpinia viridiflora
• Alpinia vittata
• Alpinia vitiensis
• Alpinia vulcanica
• Alpinia walang
• Alpinia warburgii
• Alpinia wenzelii
• Alpinia werneri
• Alpinia womerslyi
• Alpinia wrayi

Gallery

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  photo 1

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  photo 2

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  Shell Ginger (fruit dehiscing)

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  Shell Ginger (flowers)

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  Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Alpinia. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Alpinia QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)