Alpinia caerulea
(R.Br.) Benth.
Zingiberaceae
Common Name: Native Ginger
General Information
Native ginger is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing loose clumps of erect, unbranched stems up to 2 metres tall from a creeping rhizome[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
].
The fruits were a favourite food of the Australian Aborigines[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
]. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild as a local source of food.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
,
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
Range
Australasia - Papua New Guinea; Australia - Queensland and New South Wales.
Habitat
Coastal rainforest[
365- Title
- Flora of New South Wales
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.
]. Along the sides of streams in rainforests[
]. Wetter rainforests or in damp gullies in Eucalyptus forests[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Properties
Edibility Rating |      |
Other Uses Rating |      |
Habit | Perennial |
Height | 1.50 m |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a semi-shady position[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
]. Grows best in a humus-rich soil[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
The fruit usually hangs on the plant for several months[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Edible Uses
Rhizomes[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Older portions are too fibrous to eat, but the tender young tips of the rhizomes have a distinct, ginger-like flavour[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
]. The flavour can vary widely from plant to plant with some plants having too strong a flavour for most palates[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
].
Fruit - raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. A scanty, but pleasantly acid pulp surrounds the seeds[
144- Title
- Wild Food in Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
- Publisher
- Fontana
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-00-634436-4
- Description
- A very good pocket guide.
,
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The blue fruits are about 15mm in diameter[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
The broad leaves can be used for wrapping food for cooking[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leafy stems can be interlaced to make temporary shelters[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants are easy to grow from seed, though somewhat prone to damping off[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Division of the rhizome[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.