If you live in the tropics and are looking for plants to fill a shady border area then this and other Alpina species are worth considering.
It is a hardy, tight clumping, rhizomatous ginger that is great as a landscaping plant when used as a low screen thanks to its lovely foliage.
They have a dense growth habit from a clumping base, the large mid green leaves add to the lush feeling they exude.
The flowers appear in spring on drooping racemes. The flower buds are white with a pink tinged tip as they open they reveal vibrant yellow lips with red markings – quite spectacular.
Alpinia zerumbet is called a "shell ginger" or "shell flower" because of its pink tipped, white flowers which resemble drooping sea shells and are produced from spring through summer.
Afternoon shade is required in hotter climates, while indoors, the plant should have bright light and humid conditions.
Flowering rarely occurs before the second year.