Pick of the park - Alpinia purpurata

Red Ginger - Alpinia purpurata
Family : Zingiberaceae - Ginger family
Location : Zone C

The Red Ginger or Alpinia purpurata is producing plantlets.  Plantlets are produced in the inflorescences as seen in the above picture.  The red inflorescences are useful for floral arrangement.
I have used the Red Ginger for many daily cut flowers arrangement.  To see some examples please follow this link ...>>>http://dailycutflowers.blogspot.com/search/label/Red%20Ginger

Does the nectar tastes spicy?

Kantan (Malay) - Etlingera elatior
This is a spent inflorescence.

 While we normally chop into small pieces  the 'Kantan' (Malay) or Torch Ginger's inflorescences as spicy ingredient for the making of laksa, the Little Spiderhunter today surprised me with a new finding.  I have lots of pictures to show the Little Spiderhunter sipping nectar from the ixora flowers and many species of heliconia plants but to see it sipping  nectar from a spent Torch Ginger is a novelty.  The inflorescences bear torch-like cones of pink to red bracts and newly fresh ones  are excellent material for the floral arrangement. Checkout my blog about plants for more pictures of fresh Torch Gingers here ..>>>http://alltheplants3.blogspot.com/search/label/Torch%20ginger

Little Spiderhunter sipping nectar from the Torch Ginger flower

Pick of the Park - Alpinia purpurata (Red Ginger)

Red Ginger or Alpinia purpurata
Family : Zingiberaceae - Ginger family

Pick of the Park - Costus speciosus

Costus Speciosus ( White Costus)
Family : Zingiberaceae - Ginger family