Beehive Ginger
Common Names: Beehive Ginger, Spectabile
Botanical names: Zingiber spectabile
Availability: Year-round
Vase life: 14 to 21 days
Storage temperatures: 55 - 65 degrees Fahrenheit
Ethylene Sensitive: no
Description: The beehive ginger flower is a fascinating, exotic, and eye catching structure. The inflorescence is made up of densely packed waxy and stiff bracts that form a beehive-like shape. The true flowers are small, tubular, and typically emerge from between the bracts. These true flowers are often said to resemble bees.
Color: The bracts: yellow, red, pink, and orange. The flowers: white, yellow
Botanical facts: Native to Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia. Found in tropical rainforests and cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
Design notes: Beehive ginger can serve as a striking design element in floral arrangements. It makes an excellent focal point of the arrangement. Its vibrant colors and distinctive shape draw attention and can serve as the central piece around which other elements are arranged. Place beehive ginger stems at varying heights to create depth and visual interest. Mix different textures to add richness to the arrangement. Combine the smooth, waxy bracts of the beehive ginger with softer, delicate blooms and feathery foliage.
Purchasing hints: Purchase ginger with brightly colored, turgid flower heads and fresh green foliage. Avoid stems with wilted, brownish bracts or foliage.
Conditioning: Cut stem ends with a sharp knife. Hydrate in a solution of water and commercial floral food for two hours before storage or usage.
Additional notes: Some parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine for their purported health benefits, though it is less well-known for medicinal properties compared to other ginger species.