Zingiber officinale is probably the most widely used spice plant in human history, cultivated so thoroughly across tropical Asia for thousands of years that no truly wild population remains. Its origin is believed to be somewhere in tropical Asia, but it has been traded, planted, and naturalized across the globe for so long the precise geography is lost. The rhizomes range from brown to golden on the outside with a pale yellow interior and a spicy, familiar scent that intensifies as the root matures; young rhizomes are juicy and mild, older ones more fibrous and pungent.

Hardy outdoors in zones 9 through 12, it is grown as a container plant or tender annual almost everywhere else. Start with fresh rhizome pieces in spring, each with several healthy buds, dried for a day or two before planting just below the surface in rich, organic soil with partial shade. Water sparingly until shoots emerge to prevent rot, then water and feed regularly through the growing season. Bring containers indoors before temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant grows to about 4 feet tall; flowers appear on separate leafless stems but rarely develop on container plants and take at least two years even in-ground. Harvest rhizomes carefully, leaving enough in place for the clump to continue. Full sun causes foliage tip burn and poor performance; a bright, filtered spot is the right balance.