Alpinia caerulea Red Back - Red Back Ginger - 20 seeds

This Australian Native Ginger is a herbaceous perennial with a clumping habit with arching large, broad green leaves with red to maroon undersides to 2m tall x 1m wide, fragrant white flowers from late Spring through to early Summer, these are followed by blue berries - plants will fruit from 1 year onward.
 
Alpinia caerulea grows with an underground rhizome and this spicy root is edible and can be treated as ordinary ginger - in savoury dishes, tea, jams and desserts, the blue berries are also edible (although the seeds are not), these have a lemony ginger flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked.
The large leaves also can be used as a food wrappings for food and also were used by the Indigenous Australians for thatched shelters.
 
The flowers attracts bees, insects and lizards and other animals hide among the bases of the clumps of canes.
 
Best grown in a shaded aspect either part shade to full shade and keep soil moist, fertilise in Spring and mulch well especially before the warmer weather starts to retain soil moisture.
Native to northern NSW and QLD and best in subtropical and tropical climates in areas, protect from frost and cut back when overgrown or the burnt leaves to maintain a neat habit, note that it can be cut back hard as it grows from an underground rhizome.
 
This is an ornamental and edible species and has many uses, in pots, in the garden as a feature or en masse, a hedge, screen, erosion control, even for cut foliage in flower arrangements.
 
This listing is for 20 premium quality seeds shipped on receipt of cleared funds.
 
Alpinia caerulea Red Back seeds are perishable and we only offer them when they are fresh and viable so get them now and sow immediately to get the best germination rates!