Ginger Lily Plant Care
Costus afer Ker Gawl.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Costus afer, English ginger lily or common ginger lily, is a species of plant native to Tropical Africa.
Every 7–10 days
Bright indirect to partial shade
65–80°F
50–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Ginger Lily?
Water Ginger Lily every 7–10 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it bright indirect to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 65–80°F (18–27°C) and 50–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
Where Is the Ginger Lily Native To?
- Angola
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- DR Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What Is the Ginger Lily?
Ginger Lily (Costus afer) belongs to the Costaceae family within the Costus genus. Ginger Lily is native to Tropical Africa. Ginger Lily is also known as Spiral Ginger.
Ginger Lily displays a tall, clumping perennial growth habit, reaching up to 4 ft tall with a spread of approximately 3 ft. Ginger Lily produces showy, tubular flowers in vibrant colors like red, orange, or yellow.
Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Ginger Lily?
Costus afer requires watering every 7–10 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–10 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Ginger Lily Need?
Ginger Lily thrives in bright indirect to partial shade. Avoid placing Ginger Lily in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.
Light Requirement
Bright indirect to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Ginger Lily Prefer?
Costus afer grows best at temperatures of 65–80°F. Ginger Lily prefers humidity levels of 50–70%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.
Temperature
65–80°F
Humidity
50–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Ginger Lily?
Loose, well-draining soil mix with added organic matter like compost or peat moss. Good drainage is essential for Ginger Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Ginger Lily?
Feed Ginger Lily every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Ginger Lily?
Repot every 1-2 years in spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Ginger Lily?
Ginger Lily can be propagated through division of rhizomes, stem cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to redleaf costus plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Ginger Lily Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Ginger Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Ginger Lily?
Ginger Lily is susceptible to spider mites, aphids, mealybugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Ginger Lily Need?
Ginger Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 13b. It survives winters down to planting zone 13b. Ginger Lily is native to Tropical Africa. In cooler regions, grow Ginger Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 13b
Keep exploring plants
Ginger Lily is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Costus genus — compare its care with other Costus species on PlantoScan.
Costus is part of the Costaceae plant family — browse all Costaceae genera and species.
Ginger Lily thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Costus Species
Other Costus species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Costus afer Ker Gawl., family Costaceae (first published in Bot. Reg. 8: t. 683 (1823)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Ginger Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 13b, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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