Tapeinochilos ananassae aka Back Scratcher Ginger

Tapeinochilos ananassae belongs to the Costaceae family. It is an evergreen perennial: it keeps its leaves and lives for years. Its names include pineapple ginger and Indonesian wax ginger. It comes from tropical forests between Indonesia and northern Australia. Kew gives its native range as Maluku to northern Queensland. In the wild, it grows in a wet tropical climate. It needs warmth and grows from rhizomes, stems beneath the soil.

In gardens, it grows about 6–8 feet [1.83–2.44 metres] tall. Some plants grow taller than this usual range. Its spread can reach about 7 feet [2.13 metres]. It has soft stems, not the wood of a shrub. Its leaves stay green past the time when it blooms. Thick flower stalks rise straight from the ground. They have no leaves and look somewhat like bamboo. Each stalk holds a flower head at its tip.

The flower heads are the plant's main point of interest. Each can stand 0.67–1 foot [0.20–0.30 metres] tall. Deep red bracts form a waxy head shaped like a cone. These bracts are leaf-like parts around the small yellow flowers. The flowers grow out from within them. The whole head looks like a pineapple turned upside down. This shape gives the plant its name, pineapple ginger. Missouri Botanical Garden calls it a seasonal bloomer. Its supplied account gives no clear months for bloom.

Grow it in part shade and soil rich in organic matter. It can also grow in close to full shade. Keep the soil moist, but let excess water drain well. Missouri Botanical Garden rates its water needs as moderate. It gives USDA zones 10–11 for growth outdoors. This plant cannot stand frost or freezing cold. In colder places, grow it indoors in a large pot. A greenhouse also suits this plant from the tropics. Bring pots inside before autumn brings lows below 50°F [10°C].

Outside warm regions, grow it as a greenhouse or indoor specimen. Its red and yellow flower heads give the main show. Missouri Botanical Garden finds it less striking when not in bloom. It also lists the plant as a source of winter interest. Its care needs are in the middle range, not low. The same source reports no known serious insect or disease problems. The supplied evidence gives no details on fruit or food use. It also gives no details on toxicity.