Zingiber mioga ‘Dancing Crane’

Description

Zingiber mioga ‘Dancing Crane’ is a very ornamental form of this charming Japanese ginger with lush jungly delicately variegated foliage up to around 80cm high it is perfect planted amongst hardy bananas, palms and cannas. During mid to late summer the pale yellow to white orchid like flowers are produced rather bizarrely close to the ground looking just like masses of orchids blooms have been scattered amongst the foliage. Zingiber mioga ‘Dancing Crane’ will do best planted in a dappled shade position ideally in fertile soil that is not waterlogged in winter. In fact, it will tolerate pretty dry even poor soils but as always, any fast-growing perennial will do better if given extra help with improved fertility.

Once planted it will after a few years it will slowly spread into a multi-stemmed clump the leafy stems arching as they grow. The leaves and stems once frosted tend to die down during the winter and can be removed. During this time, I like to mulch the crowns with a good layer of organic compost to help feed the plant during the following season whilst keeping the roots snug during winter.

Finally, Zingiber mioga ‘Dancing Crane’ is indeed a hardy edible ginger, you may see myoga for sale in Japanese supermarkets. It is the new shoots and flower buds that are edible so please don’t eat the rhizomes or leaves as they are not considered edible.