Family: Zingiberaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Possibly naturalizing and invasive in Costa Rica
  
• Other Zingiber species are regarded as invasive
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Seeds, when produced, may be dispersed by birds or other animals
  
• Spreads by rhizomes
  
• Limited ecological information makes accurate risk prediction difficult

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Ornamental
  
• Seeds, if produced, lose viability quickly
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control