Do pine cone gingers require two years without freezing to produce flowers?
Pine Cone Ginger
No, Zingiber zerumbet naturally goes dormant in the winter, even in south Florida. If you just received yours don't fret it will send up inflorescence fro you next year, it's late spring, early summer for me here in central Florida. Initialli they will be green, after it's finished blooming (cream colored blooms) the 'pinecone' will turn red. Gently squeeze your cones and you will discover the most wonderful skin softener/conditioner ever. You can also use it in your hair and in your bath, it's awesome!
Liz
What a neat picture, my cones have never been red, but the plant grows in a big pot and doesn't ever see cold weather, wonder if that has anything to do wtih it. Yours has such vivid color. I love it. The fragrance on the cones are absolutely heavenly, I've cut mine and squeezed the liquid out, it's almost like a washcloth that's really wet . do you use the liquid in the cones Liz on your hair? you use it straight? just wondering. Mine didn't bloom this year, but it did the year before. go figure.
kathy_ann
In Hawaii, it never got cold, so I don't think the cold is necessary to the blooming. It is also called shampoo ginger, and in the valley that I lived in, it was growing right next to the stream and I used to use it in my hair. I can't say that I noticed any difference in the cleaniness...lol the Hawaiians used it all the time, but then they couldn't go to the store for shampoo either, so not sure if thats really a testiment to pros of using it.
mine are in mostly shade, maybe that's why, do they need more sun?
kathy
LOL well, hopefully someone can tell us, I apparently need to give mine more sun cause their not blooming at all.
They'll bloom in deep deep shade. Do'nt know how the sun is where ya'll are but here in Florida full sun would burn up the foliage big time. It's also getting time for them to go dormant. Let them get established and see what they do next year.
Liz
yep, that's the color mine were when they bloomed, Guesss i'll go stick mine back in the shade again LOL
Thanks for that info Birdlady. I received a 4 ft. pinecone ginger at a Round up a few weeks ago. It was not rooted, so I put it in a pot and had to stake it. I put it in a sunny spot, but now I can see that I have to move it. Since it is about to go dormant, will it still root? Should I cut it back? It is so tall! Thank you in advance for any info. :0)
Hey Liz....the dogs took to the pot of pine cone ginger I got there, and tore it to shreds :-o..... I got to them when they had just torn up the pot...but LOTS of big rizomes laying around. Do I just replant these. do I leave them out of the ground till spring. I wanted to send a friend in texas some as well. Any hints on zone 7...100 in summer...more than freezing in winter. The squirrels. desimated ( and thats putting it mildly), my french kiss, when i moved it outside from under the screen. If I sperated it now...do you think it could go to texas. dmail coming. pam
Well, for the Zingiber zerumbets the rhizomes will be fine in the ground. When winter comes just remember 'Don't water them' .
Oh, my gosh not the Dwarf French Kiss, I hate those d..... squirrels. Dividing won't be a problem, just make sure it gets brought inside during cold evenings, below 35 degrees.
As far as the zerumbet goes in the ground, it should be okay with a thick layer of mulch, as long as the area is not wet in the winter. Try the mulch at a foot deep, maybe pine straw.
Liz
PS Sorry i didn't get to spend time with everyone who stopped by the booth today. HI GUYS!!!!!
I wanted to come talk to you SO bad.....probably wasnt the place.....I have a little favor. will d-mail you. and as for the french kiss...im going to post pictures ...its nuts. OK...well here go some gingers to texas...when you read your dmail...youwill be happy about that. it might be a little long...ill try to cut to the chase. I wanted to come buy that white ginger you had in the picture...love white flowers. As for the pine cone rizomes. I will plant them back in the ground. the ones going to texas will go in a pot. thanks..pam
yea...im telling you...if the squirrells had just eaten the flowers...it would have been bad enough...but they just TORE that sucker up.....i hate to resort to the cups on the trees, if you get my drift...my livlihood doesnt depend on this....but im darn sure going to have to do something.....i guess leave everything on the patio. they ate 21 rose buds as well...every last one on my rose bush about to bloom. The acorns finally started falling this week...maybe that will help.
Hi Pam,
I saw you but..... Yes ma'am I get your drift. We had 20 people out here yesterday from your area and guess how many wanted my 'recipe'... lol
Come and visit me... All Iv'e been doing is plant shows and typing database for the website.
Going to a really KEWL place this weekend 3 days at EFG orchids, it's their orchtoberfest. You saw George at the sale. If you can make it to Deland Fri,Sat, or Sun do it. His place is beyond awesome. He grows white bat plants and collects and grows all kinds of wierd stuff, the kind of things we like :)
efgorchids.com check it out. They are super nice people and there will be vendors fromo all over even Columbia! Plus German food and reall German beer... I know you're tempted. Come see us :) It's a nice calm steady kind of atmosphere, nothing hectic like bigger shows. There are about 6 or 7 vendors I think.
Liz