Family: Zingiberaceae

Dancing Lady Ginger is an herbaceous plant native to the forests of Thailand.

It thrives in almost full shade; too much sun yellows the leaves. When planted in fertile soil with regular waterings, this is a low maintenance, pest-free species. It can be grown indoors as a houseplant, planted in the garden, or kept in a container.

Reed-like stalks arise from fleshy underground stems. Gently arching lance-shaped foliage is light green with a hint of blue.  The striking pendulous inflorescence demands attention – Plant in a place where they are easily admired. The showy bracts, heart-shaped or tear-shaped, range in color from vibrant magenta to pure white. Tubular yellow flowers with contorted petals, delicately balanced,  jut out from the in-between the bracts. The flirty flowers ‘dance’ with the slightest hint of a breeze, hence the common name-Dancing Lady Ginger. Because of the ‘dancing,’ snapping a nonblurry picture is difficult. Flowers are long-lasting both on the plant and as a cut flower. 

*They go dormant in the winter; label their spot, so no one forgets. 

Plant Uses:

• Container plant
• Cut flower
• Indoor plant
• Lei flower
• Ornamental

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Other Globba species may be weeds
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by rhizomes
  
• Seeds, if produced, dispersed by ants and intentionally by people
  
• Limited ecological information reduces accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization or invasiveness
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Ornamental
  
• May require specialized pollinators to produce seeds