Ginger Root Plants

Identification

• Edible ginger, or Zingiber officinale, has tuberous, multibranched, aromatic roots featuring a distinct spicy flavor. Above ground, the plant grows 2 to 4 feet tall with slender, dark green leaves that reach 6 to 12 inches long. Ginger root plants flower occasionally in the summer with inconspicuous, yellow-green, cone-like blooms that are dotted with purple and cream.

Uses

• Ginger root is highly regarded as a spice. The fresh root is added to a variety of savory Asian and Indian dishes. Ginger is also used to flavor some ginger ales, and in dried form the spice is added to various baked goods, including ginger snaps.

  Medicinally, ginger root has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of ailments, including stomach upset, diarrhea, nausea, colic, inflammation, arthritis and heart conditions. Studies have shown that the spice is especially effective at treating motion sickness.

Growing Requirements

• Ginger root requires a part-sun location with well-draining soil that has a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. The plant also grows well in containers in rich, well-draining soil consisting of two parts peat moss to two parts loam to one part sand or perlite. Water ginger when the top inch of soil dries. Feed the plant monthly with a well-balanced fertilizer. Ginger root also does well as a houseplant.

Propagating

• Ginger root is not particularly ornamental and is rarely found at the nursery. You can plant pieces of ginger root from the grocery store, providing they are fresh and firm. Cut the roots into 1- to 2-inch long sections, assuring that each piece of rhizome contains two or more growth nodes, which are the bump-like projections that resemble the eyes on a potato. Let the cut end of each rhizome section dry for 24 to 48 hours, afterwards planting them an inch below the soil surface. Avoid rotting the roots by watering sparingly until above-ground growth appears.

Harvesting

• Harvest ginger root about 4 to 5 months after planting when the leaves yellow and dry and the stem falls over. Dig below the soil surface and pull up the rhizomes. Rinse ginger root with water, and allow it to dry for 3 to 5 days before storing.