Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical garden #121, 0 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
You got it, Alice. Jeri, your Siam tulip gingers will have bigger flowers, usually pink, mauve or white, than the pinecones which only get those little ivory flowers. The Siams do look a bit like tulips when they're in bloom, too.

Drew, yes they put up separate stems for the flowers, about 18in. tall. Leaf stems are 4 or 5ft tall. After the flowers are done, the pinecone turns bright red, and lasts for a couple of months. They are juicy, and the common name "Shampoo Ginger" comes from the juice you can squeeze from the cones that is gingery smelling. I put it on my legs to keep the skeeters away. Works for an hour or so at best, but I'm never outside that long when it's so muggy anyway.

I'll have a whole summer's worth of 'shampoo' from my 7 big fat cones this year - Thank you, TS Debby! Funny, we think we're watering enough, then a deluge happens and all these fabulous extras pop up because of the wealth of water!