Alpinia japonica 'Green Waves'

Alpinia japonica 'Green Waves' is an exceptional form of the Asian native (China, Japan, Taiwan) Alpinia japonica, that we acquired from the late plantsman Don Jacobs without a cultivar name...imagine that! Comparing it to all other forms of Alpinia japonica we've seen, we find the foliage much more wavy, giving an outstanding textural appearance in the garden. We like to plant Alpinia japonica near a path, where the strong, cardamom-scented foliage can be released when walking nearby. In three years, Alpinia 'Green Waves' forms a 2' tall x 6' wide specimen. We recommend either morning sun or high, open shade for best results. Although Alpinia japonica is quite drought tolerant, best growth occurs in soils with average moisture. Alpinia 'Green Waves' is evergreen unless winter temperatures drop below 15 degrees F. If the stalks die to the ground, so do the terminally-borne flowers, which typically emerge in April.