The spicy scent of the grated ginger root drifts across the kitchen, mingling with the delicate smell rising from the pine cone lily's blossom. Common ginger (Zingiber officinale), also known as edible ginger and cooking ginger, and pine cone lily (Zingiber zerumbet), also known as bitter ginger, shampoo ginger and awapuhi kuahiwi, belong to the Zingiberaceae family and grow from edible rhizomes. The pine cone lily's rhizome has a bitter taste that makes it less suitable for cooking.
Native to India, common ginger and pine cone lily are tropical plants. While hardy down to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9, common ginger enjoys warmer temperatures to USDA zone 12 while pine cone lily prefers the slightly cooler temperatures of USDA zone 11. Both gingers require a high humidity level to thrive in drier, Mediterranean-type climates. In USDA zone 9, the plants die back in winter unless brought indoors, emerging in spring when the weather warms.
Sun or Shade?
Many varieties of ginger prefer part to full shade and common ginger is no exception. When exposed to full sun, the tips of the leaves turn brown and the plant struggles to survive. In contrast, the pine cone lily thrives in full sun to partial shade. Both gingers prefer a warm, sheltered spot in the garden with consistently moist, well-draining soil.
The pine cone lily is a large plant, growing up to 7 feet tall. The 8- to 12-inch-long leaves grow on tall, slender stems. The flower heads emerge on shorter stems, remaining partially hidden by the large green leaves. Common ginger is only 2 to 3 feet tall with narrow leaves on thin stems. While it rarely blooms, the flower heads grow on their own stems, directly from the rhizomes.
You'll find common ginger in kitchens around the world. The rhizome is grated when fresh and ground into a powder and used in cooking. Because it rarely blooms, most people grow it for its rhizomes. The pine cone lily is grown as an ornamental plant, with beautiful pine cone-shaped flower heads. The actual blossoms are small and whitish-yellow. As the flower head matures, it fills with a scented slimy liquid that was traditionally used by Hawaiians as a shampoo. The liquid is still used as a shampoo ingredient.
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