Alpinia zerumbet 'Variegata' Variegated Shellflower; Costus speciosus 'Variegatus' Variegated Crepe Ginger; Hedychium coronarium Butterfly Ginger; Hedychium x … In cold areas in northern Florida, the stems of this plant will be frozen to the ground, but new shoots will reemerge in the spring. Too much sun will burn the leaves and the leaves will fold up to try to protect themselves from the blast of sunshine. These are moderately salt-tolerant plants that do best in part sun to part shade. Variegated Ginger (Shell Ginger) A popular herbaceous perennial in central and south Florida is variegated ginger (Alpinia zerumbet variegata). Variegated shell ginger is tolerant of a wide range of light conditions from light shade to full sun, so long as there is adequate moisture. UF/IFAS Publications. Grown primarily for it’s beautiful foliage in shades of green, yellow, and cream, it does bloom in spring. A partial shaded location or regular irrigation prevents this. Variegated ginger is a moderate grower that can reach heights of 3 to 6 feet, and grows 5 to 8 feet wide. Part shade is ideal for this plant. In North and Central Florida, many gingers will go dormant in the winter, but will return with the warm weather. The flower buds hang like grapes, then open, revealing tiny flowers that resemble orchids. Variegated ginger is not very drought tolerant, wilting badly in full summer sun without irrigation. Typically, variegated shell ginger grows to about 6 ft tall, which is not as large as the non-variegated species (Alpinia zerumbet), which can grow to as much as 12 ft tall.