Butterfly ginger is a vigorous clump-forming ginger from Asia, growing to around 2m tall. It stays evergreen in Northland but may die back over winter in colder parts of New Zealand. It is tolerant of light frosts and will regrow from the rhizomes in spring.
 

It grows best in moist soils but will tolerate a wide range of conditions. Suitable for full sun or part shade, it is an excellent food forest plant for wet or heavy soils where it produces large amounts of biomass for mulch.

Butterfly ginger forms a dense clump over time but spreads slowly and does not readily set seed, making it much easier to manage than the wild ginger species.

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The white butterfly-shaped flowers are highly fragrant. Young flower buds and flowers can be steamed and eaten.
 

This species is sometimes incorrectly sold as galangal on Trade Me and elsewhere, but true galangal is much less vigorous and generally does not grow well outdoors in New Zealand. Butterfly ginger rhizomes are mildly toxic and should not be eaten.

 

Size: 1L