Alpinia zerumbet

Pink Porcelain Lily, Shell Ginger, Variegated Ginger, Light Galangal

Message of the Flower

Eloquence

The Mother’s Comment

We know how to express ourselves in a convincing way.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The power of expression comes by getting into touch with the inner source from which these things come.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - IV: The Power of Expression and Yoga

For a certain state of consciousness there is not a single word, not a gesture, not an action which does not express a deeper or higher reality, more lasting, more essential, more true; and once one has seen and felt that, everything takes on a meaning, and one sees more clearly how things ought to be organised, arranged, so that a deeper truth may express itself still better than it does at present.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1956: 30 May 1956

The truest expression comes out of an absolute inner silence.

Sri Aurobindo, The Mother with Letters on The Mother: The Mother's Attitude towards Music and Other Arts

Colour

White, light red, yellow

Family

Zingiberaceae

Cultivars

Variegata' is a popular cultivar with variegated leaves.

Person who named the flower

Carl Peter Thunberg

Flower Size

Small, part of larger pendulous inflorescences

Flower Texture

Waxy

Number of Petals

3 petals

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral

Fragrance of Flower

Fragrant, especially in the evening

Leaf Texture

Glossy

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate, spirally arranged

Leaf Color

Green, variegated in some cultivars

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous perennial

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Late spring to early summer

Climate

Tropical and subtropical

Water Requirements

Moderate, prefers consistently moist soil

Soil Type

Well-drained, fertile, rich in organic matter

Temperature Ranges

Prefers warm conditions, not frost tolerant

Sun or Shade

Partial shade to full sun in cooler climates

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Root rot, spider mites

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies

Habitat

Native to Eastern Asia, tropical/subtropical gardens worldwide

Role in the Ecosystem

Nectar for pollinators, aesthetic value

Quotations

Not specifically quoted

Ornamental

Decorative leaves, striking flowers

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Ornamental, medicinal

Endangered Status

Not endangered