Spiral Ginger, Ginger lily, White spiral costus.
Costus afer

Family: Costaceae

What it is like

Spiral ginger or Ginger Lily (Costus afer) is a tropical perennial herb known as a medicinal plant in tropical Africa. Different plant parts are used in the treatment of a wide range of illnesses or conditions such as cough, nausea, arthritis, sore throat, epileptic attacks, worms and haemorrhoids, jaundice, urethral discharges, venereal diseases, colic, tachycardia, stomach discomforts, malaria, eye conditions, diarrhoea, and leprosy. The leaves are edible which have an acid flavour. The rhizome is occasionally used as a spice or flavouring. The strips from the stem are made into basket and the stem bark is used to make table mats, papers, and baskets as well.

Costus afer is an evergreen Perennial growing to 4 m (13ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 4

Where it is found

The shaded floor of the rainforest or lowland secondary forest. Moist localities in forest and forest edges, at elevations up to 1400 metres.

Tropical Africa - Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to Tanzania, Malawi and Angola.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Tropical Africa, Asia, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, East Africa, Guinea, GuinŽe, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Tanzania, West Africa.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Leaves. An acid flavour. The rhizome is occasionally used as a spice or flavouring.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Medicine

Rating: 4

Spiral ginger is commonly used as a medicinal plant throughout tropical Africa and modern research has borne out the validity of many of its uses. The stem, seeds and rhizome contain several steroidal sapogenins, of which diosgenin is the most important one. The rhizome yields 0.5% diosgenin. Diosgenin is a very important raw material used as a precursor in the synthesis of a number of steroidal drugs, including corticosteroids, sex hormones, oral contraceptives and anabolic agents. The rhizomes also contain the saponins aferosides A and C, as well as dioscin and paryphyllin C and the flavonoid glycoside kaempferol 3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside. The last compound showed an ability to potentiate in vitro cisplatin cytotoxicity in a human colon cancer cell line. A papaverine-like alkaloid is found in the rhizome which causes relaxation of smooth muscle and is an anti-spasmodic, diuretic and central nervous system depressant. The methanol extract of the rhizome showed significant topical anti-inflammatory activity. The saponin fraction from the rhizomes and the methanolic leaf extract showed significant abortifacient activity. Sesquiterpenoids are the most abundant group of volatile compounds in the essential oil of the leaves. The essential oil did not show any antimicrobial activity. The aqueous extract of the leaves and stems showed significant antibacterial and amoebicidal activity in vitro. The methanolic leaf extract showed significant cytotoxicity. The same extract showed moderate local anaesthetic activity. The extract exhibited antihyperglycaemic activity, and decreased the blood glucose level when applied in small doses; higher doses, however, increased the blood glucose level. A decoction of the powdered fruits is used as a cough medicine. The stem is strongly diuretic. The debarked stem is chewed to alleviate nausea and quench thirst. A stem decoction, the mashed or chewed stem or the pounded fruit, sometimes mixed with sugar cane juice, are taken to alleviate nausea; to treat rheumatoid arthritis; cough respiratory problems and sore throat. A cold water extract of the stem is taken to treat small epileptic attacks. The powdered stems are used as an enema to treat worms and haemorrhoids. The smoke of the dried stem is inhaled to treat coughs. The stem sap is used to treat jaundice and to prevent miscarriage. The stem sap is acid and rubefacient and burns on open wounds, but it is also anodyne and healing. It is applied externally to treat a range of skin ailments; urethral discharges and venereal diseases. It is also rubbed on the body to treat colic. An infusion of the inflorescence is taken to treat tachycardia. The same infusion or a rhizome infusion is taken to treat stomach complaints. The leaf sap, or a rhizome decoction, is taken to treat malaria. Externally, the leaf sap is used as eye drops to treat eye troubles and as nose drops to treat headaches with vertigo. It is used in frictions to treat oedema and fever. An infusion of the dried aerial parts is taken to treat hypertension. The pulp of the rhizome is applied to abscesses and ulcers to mature them; it is applied to teeth to cure toothache, and mixed with water it is taken internally to treat diarrhoea and amoebic dysentery. A rhizome decoction or the raw rhizome is taken to treat leprosy and venereal diseases.

Abortifacient: Causes an abortion.

Anaesthetic: Numbs the feeling in a local or general area of the body.

Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.

Antiarthritic: Treats arthritis.

Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.

Antibilious: Corrects the secretions of bile.

Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.

Antifungal: An agent that inhibits or destroys fungi. Used in the treatment of various fungal problems such as candida.

Antihaemorrhoidal: Treats haemorrhoids (piles). This would probably be best added to another heading.

Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.

Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Cancer: Used in the treatment of cancer.

Cardiac: Used in the treatment of heart problems.

Cytotoxic: Destroys body cells. Used in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, where it is targeted against the cancer cells.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Epilepsy: Used in the treatment of Epilepsy - a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures.

Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.

Hypoglycaemic: Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.

Hypotensive: Reduces blood pressure, it is used in the treatment of high blood pressure

Leprosy: Used to treat leprosy - a chronic bacterial infection of the skin and superficial nerves (in the skin) caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

Malaria: Treats malaria - an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites spread to people through the bites of mosquitos.

Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.

Parasiticide: Treats external parasites such as ringworm This should perhaps be joined with Parasiticide in

Rubefacient: A counter-irritant and external stimulant, it produces inflammation and redness of the skin.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 2

Other Uses: Strips made from the outer stem are made into baskets. It is sometimes cultivated for the stem bark which is used to make table mats and baskets. Experiments to use the stem for making paper have been successful. The stems are used in house construction. The sap can be used to coagulate latex and is also used in skin nourishing creams.

Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.

Cosmetic: Used to improve the physical appearence of a person.

Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Latex: A source of rubber.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Parasiticide: Kills external body parasites such as hair lice.

How it is grown

Prefers a very fertile, moist but well-drained acid soil and a position in some shade. Plants also succeed in full sun. Spiral ginger is a very vigorous grower. It flowers and fruits throughout the year, depending on the humidity of the soil.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown fresh. Germinates best at a temperature of 20c. Division. The rhizomes are cut into pieces 2.5 cm long and planted in a mixture of sand and peat moss. Cuttings of stem sections. The stems are cut into pieces 2.5 cm long and planted in a mixture of sand and peat moss. Bulbils sometimes develop in the enlarged fruit head of some species. These can be potted up and will grow into new plants.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Spiral ginger or Ginger Lily (Costus afer). Also known as: Gododje-sato, Gogodje-suto, Kostus spiral putih, Rum-rum, Spiral Ginger, Ginger lily, White spiral costus.

Synonyms

Costus anomocalyx K.Schum. Costus insularis A.Chev. (Invalid). Costus littoralis K.Schum. Costus obl