the large-leaved NZ ginger of lowland forest floors

Size
Height: 1–2 m, Spread: 1–2 m
Lifespan
10–20 years
Diet
Not applicable (herb). Photosynthetic.
Habitat
Coastal and lowland forests, often in damp, shaded sites. Prefers fertile, well-drained soils with partial shade. Often found along stream banks and in forest understorey.
Range
Northern North Island from Northland to the Bay of Plenty. Most common in coastal and lowland forests. Also found in Australia and the South Pacific.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
Habitat loss from land clearance is the primary threat. Climate change affecting northern forests. No significant pest or disease issues. Protection of lowland forest is important for survival.
Population
Populations are considered stable in remaining forest fragments. The species has a restricted distribution in the northern North Island. It is threatened by ongoing habitat loss. Protection of lowland forest is important.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
A tropical-looking herb with large, lush leaves and clusters of blue berries. A plant that belongs to a warmer time. The leaves can reach up to 60 centimetres in length and are arranged in two rows along the stem, giving the plant a distinctive, fan-like appearance. The berries are edible and have a sweet, pleasant flavour. The roots (rhizomes) have a mild ginger flavour and can be used as a ginger substitute in cooking. A plant that is both beautiful and useful. The flowers are white and orchid-like, with a prominent, yellow-tipped lip. They appear in summer and are followed by the blue berries, which ripen in autumn. The berries are about 1 centimetre in diameter and contain several small, black seeds. They are eaten by birds, which disperse the seeds. The plant was used by Māori for its medicinal properties and as a food source. The rhizomes were chewed for stomach ailments, and the leaves were used to wrap food for cooking. The large, lush leaves were also used for weaving, particularly for making rain capes and baskets. Native ginger is restricted to the warm, northern part of the North Island. It grows in coastal and lowland forests, often along stream banks and in damp, shaded gullies. It is sensitive to frost and cannot survive in colder areas. Its northern distribution is a reminder of New Zealand's subtropical past, when the climate was warmer and plants like this were more widespread. To find native ginger is to walk the damp forests of Northland. The forest is warm. The ginger grows, large lush leaves fanning out, clusters of blue berries bright against the green. It does not know it is a remnant of a warmer world. It does not know it cannot survive the frost. It just wants to grow where it is warm. New Zealand was once part of a larger, warmer world. The ginger remembers.