Growing happily in the Jungle Corner at Cortijo
Azahar is one of the most striking of all variegated plants.
In its native habitat and here on the south coast of Spain, it produces pendant racemes of fragrant pink/white flowers which are rarely seen in cultivation in the UK unless grown in a very warm
greenhouse.
However, as a foliage plant alone, Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’ is
undoubtedly extremely garden-worthy and prefers a position in sun or part shade
in rich, fertile, moist but well-drained soil.
From the Family Zingiberaceae and originating from tropical
areas of India, this evergreen rhizomatous perennial of the
Ginger family has leathery leaves up to 2 ft long and 6 inches acrossm long, variegated with bands and
stripes of cream and yellow.
The Shell Ginger grows to around 7 ft under a Chirimoya tree here in the Cortijo Azahar garden.
