Alpinia purpurata or Red Ginger is a plant that epitomizes the tropics with its lance shaped glossy bright green leaves all year round.
It also produces showy flower heads with delicate white flowers growing from the axils of the stunning, bright red bracts.
This plant grows from rhizomes and tends to form clumps and although they can only be grown outside in the tropics, they do add colour to shady tropical borders.
It is, however possible to grow them in glasshouses in cooler climates.
A great corner filler adding foliage and flower colour.