How to Care for a Blue Ginger Plant

There are few true blue flowers in the gardening world, and when a plant has the word "blue" in its name, and delivers a purple flower, it's a bit disappointing. Blue ginger (Dichorisandra thyrsiflora) is an exception. Even though many times the flowers aren't truly blue, they are so beautiful you may have a tendency to forgive whoever bestowed the name on the plant. Another fib in the plant's nickname is belied by the fact that it isn't a true ginger but related more closely to spiderworts.

10-10-10 fertilizer
Pruning shears
Insecticidal soap

Instructions

- 1
  Grow the blue ginger in an area of the garden that receives shade or filtered sunshine. It prefers humid, windless locations with temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
  Keep the soil around the blue ginger plant moist at all times. Don't overwater, though; water just enough so the root zone is slightly moist.
- 3
  Fertilize blue ginger monthly while it's in active growth. Use an all-purpose granular fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, and sprinkle it on the soil around the plant. Use the amount of fertilizer listed on the label.
- 4
  Prune the blue ginger to the soil after flowering. It grows back with increased flowering, according to tropical plant and soil scientists with the University of Hawaii.
- 5
  Check the plant periodically for mealybugs, small insects that are covered with a white substance. Look for clusters of mealybugs on the undersides of leaves or at the junction of a shoot and the main stem. Insecticidal soap sprays manage mealybug infestations. Follow all label instructions when applying.

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