Plant of the Month: August 2026

Title image above is copyright © Kristi Ellinopoullos

First published 1st August 2026

Family: Zingiberaceae (includes gingers, galangals, and turnerics)
Genus: Alpinia (includes Australian native ginger)

Botanical/Binomial Name: Alpinia mutica
Meaning of Name:
Alpinia, after the 17th century Italian botanist Prospero Alpini + Latin -ia (used especially to form genus names by appending to the name of (usually) a scientist or patron); and
nutans, from Latin nūtāns (‘nodding’, ‘drooping’): a reference to the inflorescence (flower spike)

Common Names: Dwarf false cardamom (sometimes written ‘cardamon’), Shellflower

Botanical Characteristics: Herbaceous | Perennial | Rhizomatous | Drought tolerant | Cold tolerant
Propagation: Division of rhizomes

Plant Description:
This member of the ginger family is a clumping ornamental with highly fragrant leaves — so fragrant that barely brushing past them releases their intense cardamom-like scent. It is much more tolerant of cold than true cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum). It is not related to true cardamom.

The leaves of false cardamom can be used to flavour food, but the seeds and pods taste horrible.

It grows to just 1-1.5 m, making it a fantastic understorey filler with a lush tropical look.

Growing Information:
False cardamom can be grown in pots as well as the ground, and thrives in organically rich, moist soil in a shady and protected spot.

This species is an evergreen perennial native to the tropical Maluku Islands of Indonesia, but will grow in temperate areas with mild winters. Please note that this species may not flower much, if at all, in temperate areas, but regular applications of fertiliser will still help develop a fast and densely clumping plant with intensely fragrant leaves that are love at first sniff.