Most of them are exotics from Asia, some being very invasive when planted outside there original habitat. In Costa Rica you find Alpinia purpurata (red ginger), Zingiber spectabile (beehive ginger) and others growing in the forest far from where they were first planted, and displacing some beautiful natives. The only native gingers in the New World are Costaceae (Costus and Dimerocostus) and a Zingiberaceae that looks somewhat like an Alpinia - called Renealmia.

Dave Skinner
www.gingersrus.com