Ginger

Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Family: Zingiberaceae

Pet & Human Safety

People: Not researchedPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Human edibility

Edible

Edible parts

rhizomes (ginger root), young sprouts

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

NC State mentions fresh or frozen rhizomes in soups and stir-fry, and says US markets sell it in powdered or candied form.

Hazard type

Not yet checked.

Hazard route

Not yet checked.

How complete this information is

The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

No ASPCA page for ginger was found, so no pet verdict is recorded. That is not a finding that ginger is safe. NC State's Zingiber officinale page has no poison section and no pet-problem tag.

Look-alike warning

Could be mistaken for Look-alike plants. To tell them apart: NC State names Asarum canadense (wild ginger) as a plant it is often confused with..

Look-alike warning

Could be mistaken for Plants that share its name. To tell them apart: 'Ginger' is also used for wild ginger (Asarum canadense), which NC State lists as often confused with this plant; wild ginger is a different, unrelated plant and is not the culinary ginger. Edibility of Asarum was not researched here..

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones: USDA zones 9a to 12b (NC State: 'thrives in zones 9-12'; can be grown in a container or as an annual in cooler climates). USDA system; no Australian climate-zone figure read.
Water needs: NC State: drainage moist, occasionally wet; 'water sparingly until the plant starts to grow, then water and fertilize regularly'.
Mature size: Height 2 to 4 ft, width 2 to 3 ft (NC State)

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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