Alpinia chinensis

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb or shrub. The rhizomes are yellow and have an aroma. It grows 1 m tall. The leaves are sword shaped and pointed at the tip. They taper towards the base. The leaf blade is 20-30 cm long by 3-6 cm wide. The leaf stalk is short. The flower panicle is thin and at the top. The fruit is a round berry 0.8 cm across. The are 4 triangle shaped seeds inside.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows along the edges of rivers and streams.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Indochina, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The rhizome is used as a spice.

Edible parts

Rhizome - spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Luong khuong, Rieng song, Rieng tau

Synonyms

Hellenia abnormis Lindl.; Hellenia chinensis (Retz.) Willd.; Heritiera chinensis Retz.; Languas chinensis (Retz.) J. Koenig; Monocystis abnormis (Lindl.) Lindl.;