Zingiber spectabile

Griff.

Beehive ginger, Pinecone ginger, Golden-shampoo ginger, Nodding gingerwort

Zingiberaceae Edible: Rhizome, Root, Spice 5,594 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Zingiber spectabile is a species of true ginger, native to Maritime Southeast Asia. It is primarily grown in the West as an ornamental plant, although it has been used in South-East Asia as a medicinal herb.

Description

A ginger family herb which is dormant for part of the year. It has underground stems. It is the largest of the gingers. It can be 4 m tall. The leaves are sword shaped and 50 cm long. They are softly downy underneath. The bracts which enclose the flower are yellow at first but can become red later. They are scoop shaped and waxy. The flowers are produced at ground level on separate shoots. These are 25 cm long. The flowers are cream with purple near the edges.

Edible Uses

The rhizome is used as a flavoring and can be prepared as a spice.

Traditional Uses

The rhizome is sometimes used as a flavouring.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

In Indonesia, the plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation of the eyes. It is prepared for use by pounding the leaves of the plant into a thick paste, and then topically applying it to the required part of the body. It has also been recorded being used to treat burns, as a treatment for headaches and back pain, and as an agent for food preservation. Academic research has found that the plant has antimicrobial properties, and significant concentrations of the Zerumbone synthase enzyme, which may be effective in treating colon cancer.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It suits seasonally moist and dry climates. It needs fertile, organically-rich, well-drained soils. It does well in bright shade. It suits hardiness zones 9-12. Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Andaman Is., Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Hawaii, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia*, Pacific, SE Asia, South America, Thailand, USA,

Cultivation

Prefers a position in partial shade. Plants grow best in a moist, fertile, humus-rich, freely-draining soil. Plants have a distinct flowering flush, but can flower intermittently throughout the year.

Propagation

Seed - Division of the rhizome.

Also Known As

Chadak, Tepai, Tepus haliya puar, Tepus tanah, Tepus tundok

References (14)

Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 2 (I-Z) p 2345
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1496
Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 249
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 311
Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 87

Show all 14 references

Lim, T. K., 2016, Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 12 Modified Stems, Roots p 8
Llamas, K.A., 2003, Tropical Flowering Plants. Timber Press. p 372
Morley, B. & Everard, B., 1970, Wild Flowers of the World. Ebury press. Plate 124
Recher, P, 2001, Fruit Spirit Botanical Gardens Plant Index. www.nrg.com.au/~recher/ seedlist.html p 4
Smith, N., Mori, S.A., et al, 2004, Flowering Plants of the Neotropics. Princeton. Plate 64 (Photo)
Staples, G.W. and Herbst, D.R., 2005, A tropical Garden Flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. p 769
Tanaka,
Topp, J. M. W., 1988, An Annotated Check List of the Flora of Diego Garcia, British Ocean Territory. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 313
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew