Does Ginger Grow in the Shade?

The tropical gingers provide a splash of bright color in the garden.


When designing a shade garden, a variety of leaf forms, colors and textures provide visual interest even in the shadiest part of the garden. One shade tolerant plant is ginger. The ginger family (Aristolochiaceae) consists of over 1,200 species from the all over the world. While different varieties thrive in shade, light shade and sun, nearly all have the same general growing requirement in terms of soil. The North American wild gingers tolerate colder temperatures and full shade, while at the opposite end of the spectrum, the tropical gingers require full sun and warm temperatures.

Growing Requirements

Although the different species of ginger have different light and warmth requirements, most of the gingers prefer a rich, moist, well-draining, pH neutral soil. Adding 3 inches of well-rotted compost and digging it in to a depth of 9 to 12 inches provides a rich, organic soil for your ginger plant. A layer of mulch over the garden bed helps keep the soil consistently moist, while a drip-watering system makes watering easy.

Wild Ginger

The wild gingers native to North America often are used as low-growing ground covers in woodland gardens. Preferring part to full shade, wild gingers are propagated easily by dividing the rhizomes in early spring. The rhizomes of wild gingers are used much like edible ginger in cooking. Among the North American gingers are Canadian ginger (Asarum canadense), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 8; the arrowleaf ginger (Hexastylis arifolia), hardy in zones 4 to 8; British Columbia's long-tail wild ginger (Asarum caudatum), hardy in zones 7a to 11; and California's native ginger, Hartweg's ginger (Asarum hartwegii), hardy in zones 6 through 10.

Tropical Ginger

The lush foliage and exotic flowers of the tropical and subtropical gingers add a bright touch to the tropical garden. Grown in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11, the readily available shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet) and red ginger (Alpinia purpurata) require protection from temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Gardeners in colder climates grow gingers in large flowerpots and move them indoors for the winter. Many of the tropical gingers prefer full sun, but will tolerate light or dappled shade.

Edible Ginger

Edible ginger (Zingiber officinale) is grown easily by soaking a rhizome from the grocery store in warm water overnight. Plant in a large flowerpot in a rich potting soil and place in a warm, brightly lit location. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 12, the edible ginger will bloom if left undisturbed until it is two years old. Edible ginger's primary use is in cooking, although it sometimes is grown as a house plant.

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