I am always drawn to a variegated form of almost any landscape plant due to its added foliar ornamental features and its ability to stand out in a crowd. Ornamental ginger are such useful and sustainable plants across our landscape as they add to your garden plant palette in an exotic manner utilizing both foliage and flowers. One such plant is the variegated spiral ginger or Costus arabicus ‘Variegatus’. It does not have the aromatic oils associated with other true gingers, but the foliage – and on occasion flowers – make it an ornamental favorite for many gardeners.
Spiral gingers by nature have a characteristic appearance where the leaves are attached in a spiraling pattern up each main stem. There is an all-green version of the spiral ginger (also called Crepe Ginger) which has interesting crepe paper-like white/pink flowers with a yellow throat emerging from a reddish cone produced from late summer through early fall. While the variegated form does not flower as much, the green and white striped leaves and red stems more than make up for the spotty flower production. This evergreen perennial can grow up to six-feet tall and expand up to five-feet wide over time, so allow room for expansion of individual arching clumps. Although very tropical in appearance, these plants are relatively cold-hardy and even if the top plant portions were mowed down by a freeze, the rhizomes (modified underground stems) are still alive and will come back without a problem.
For best success, plant your variegated spiral gingers about three feet apart to allow individual mounds to develop in a mass planting display. Variegated spiral ginger will appreciate shade to part-shade conditions and well-drained soil. This ginger is not drought-tolerant, so supply water as needed – two to three inches of mulch will help with this task. They are also not salt-tolerant, so they are best kept away from coastal conditions.
In addition to the variegated foliage color looking great in the landscape, some stems can be harvested as cut foliage for flower arrangements – a dual-purpose ornamental!
While I may focus a great deal on the eye appeal of variegated ornamental plants, I cannot overemphasize the value of plants with foliage as attractive – and often longer lasting – than most flowers. It is on that note that I close out this article with a final pitch for variegated spiral ginger, a plant that is well-adapted to most any landscape with features worthy of your adoption – Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ approved as well! For more information on all types of plants sustainable in landscapes, or to ask a question, you can also call the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpdesk on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer. Ralph E. Mitchell is the Director/Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County. He can be reached at 941-764-4344 or ralph.mitchell@charlottecountyfl.gov. Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook @CharlotteCountyExtension and follow us on Instagram @ifascharco.
Resources:
McLaughlin, J. (2006) A WORD OR TWO ABOUT GARDENING – Gingers – Attractive Foliage and Stunning Flowers for a Shady Miami Garden. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Miami-Dade.
Busbee, L. , Andrews, F. & Criss, J. (2022) Spiral Ginger – Costus arabicus ‘Variegatus’. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS – Santa Rosa County.
UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions (2025) Spiral Gingers. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Gilman, E. F. (1999) Costus speciosus ‘Variegatus’. The University of Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
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