Ornamental Ginger, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida

Shady beds that need bold, tropical leaves are where ornamental ginger earns its keep in Southwest Florida. Most types grow 4 to 8 ft tall, with striped or glossy foliage and flowers that butterflies visit, and they do best with morning sun or part shade. Frost burns the tops, but clumps usually return from the roots. We stock five choices, from red button to tall variegated shell ginger.

Light:: Part sun to part shade; morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, and variegated types scorch in hot afternoon sun
Water:: Regular; keep evenly moist, with mulch to hold moisture in sandy soil
Salt:: Low to moderate; keep out of direct salt spray

Text Me a Planted Price Call (239) 799-5594

Ornamental Ginger sizes we deliver and plant

Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.

Variety or form	Sizes	Good to know
Ginger	3 Gallon, 7 Gallon	The all-round ornamental ginger, in 3 and 7 gallon, for bold tropical leaves and flowers in a shady bed.
Tricolor Ginger	3 Gallon	Grown for its striped, multi-toned leaves, in 3 gallon, to add color in shady beds.
Ginger Variegated	3 Gallon	Striped, variegated leaves in 3 gallon that light up a shady corner.
Red Button Ginger	3 Gallon, 7 Gallon	A reed-like ginger topped with red, button-shaped flower heads, in 3 and 7 gallon, usually shorter than shell ginger.
Shell Ginger Variegated	7 Gallon, 15 Gallon	The tall one, in 7 and 15 gallon, with gold-and-green striped leaves and hanging clusters of shell-like pink and white flowers in warm months.

Ornamental Ginger in SW Florida, at a glance

Mature size here: 4 to 8 ft tall and 3 to 6 ft wide, depending on the type; variegated shell ginger is the tallest
Light: Part sun to part shade; morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, and variegated types scorch in hot afternoon sun
Water: Regular; keep evenly moist, with mulch to hold moisture in sandy soil
Salt tolerance: Low to moderate; keep out of direct salt spray
Cold tolerance: Frost blackens the leaves and stems, then the clump resprouts from the roots in spring if they did not freeze; protect inland plantings on frost nights
Growth rate: Moderate to fast
Spacing: 3 to 5 ft on center, wider for shell ginger
Florida native: No

Where Ornamental Ginger works in a SW Florida yard

Gingers shine in the bright shade under palms and oaks, on the east side of the house, and along fences where a lush, layered backdrop pays off. Plant clumps in groups of three or more rather than as single plants. Tall variegated shell ginger anchors the back of a bed, while shorter red button ginger works in the middle.

Good companions are bromeliads, cast iron plant and ti plant, which share the same light and moisture. Keep gingers out of hot, all-day sun.

Shady tropical beds
Foundation and fence-line color
Under palms and oaks
Tropical privacy backdrop

How our crew plants it

Prepare the bed first. Gingers want rich, moist soil, so we blend compost into the native sand where the plants will sit. Each plant goes in at the same depth it grew in the pot, spaced 3 to 5 ft apart, then gets a deep watering and two to three inches of mulch kept off the stems.

Late spring and the rainy season are the easiest time to plant, and the bed should stay moist through the first dry season using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings.

Care after planting

Water often enough that the soil never dries out, and mulch to hold moisture in the sandy soil.
Feed in March and again in October with a slow-release fertilizer, since gingers are hungry plants, and skip fertilizer from June 1 to September 30 in Lee County, Naples and Marco Island.
Cut frost-burned or spent stems to the ground in late winter, and new shoots come quickly.
Divide crowded clumps every few years in spring to keep them blooming and to make more plants.

What to watch for

Gingers spread by rhizomes, and white ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium) is on the FLEPPC invasive list, so keep any ginger in a contained bed, away from preserves and shorelines.
Brown, crisp leaf edges mean the bed dried out or the sun is too hot, especially on the variegated types.

Ornamental Ginger questions we hear

Can ornamental ginger take full sun in Southwest Florida?+

Most do better with morning sun and afternoon shade. In full, all-day Florida sun the leaves scorch and brown, and variegated types burn the worst. Deep shade means fewer flowers, so bright shade under oaks or palms is the sweet spot.

Will a freeze kill my ginger plants?+

A frost blackens the leaves and stems, but the roots usually survive in coastal Lee and Collier and most inland yards. Cut the dead stems back in late winter and new shoots return in spring. A hard, prolonged freeze can kill the roots, so mulch the base and cover plants when a freeze is forecast.

How big do ornamental gingers get?+

Most reach 4 to 8 ft tall, with clumps that widen to 3 to 6 ft over time. Variegated shell ginger is the tallest of ours, while red button ginger usually stays shorter. Growth is moderate to fast in warm, wet weather, and the clump thickens each year.

How far apart should I plant ginger?+

Plant gingers 3 to 5 ft apart, center to center. Use the wider end for shell ginger, which gets big, and the closer end for shorter types in a mass planting. Allow room from walkways, since the stems arch outward as the clump matures.

Do ornamental gingers need a lot of water and fertilizer?+

Yes, more than most Florida shrubs. Keep the soil evenly moist, mulch well, and feed in March and October with a slow-release fertilizer. They brown at the edges when the bed dries out. In Lee County, Naples and Marco Island, skip nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30.

How much does it cost to have ornamental ginger planted?+

Which gingers you pick, the pot sizes and the number of plants it takes to fill the bed set the price. Text us the bed size and the types you like, and we send back a planted price by text, usually within the hour during the day. Half down holds the plants and a delivery day.

Updated October 2026