Description: The large, torch-like, up to 5 foot (1.5 m) tall flower stalks emerge from fleshy underground rhizomes. The inflorescences have waxy, red to pink, white-edged bracts and are pinecone-shaped with a skirt of larger bracts. The individual flowers emerge from between the colorful bracts and have a dark red labellum (lip petal) with a bright yellow margin. The flowers are followed by green to reddish fruit. The leaf blades are green, hairless, lanceolate in shape, and up to 32 inches (81 cm) long. The pseudostems (formed by the leaf sheaths) emerge from underground rhizomes and are tall and arching.
Torch Ginger is one of the tallest, if not the tallest ginger found here in Hawaii. It can escape from gardens in wet to mesic (moderately wet) areas. The flowers make nice, long lasting cut flowers for tropical flower arrangements.