Balakatoa
Zingiber odoriferum

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A robust ginger family herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It can grow 3 m tall. The rhizome or underground stem is strongly branched. The leaves are broadly sword shaped and 15-47 cm long by 3-7 cm wide. They have a strong scent when bruised. The fruit spikes are narrow and cylinder shaped. They are 9-20 cm long. They are on a robust 1 m long stalk. The fruit is like a berry. It is 2 cm across. The seeds are angular and 5 mm long.

There are about 100-150 Zingiber species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in primary and secondary forest up to 1,500 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andaman Is., Asia, Indonesia (country/location of origin), SE Asia

How it is used for food

The salt fruit, ripe and unripe, are eaten with rice. The very young stem parts are eaten as a vegetable. The flower buds are eaten raw or steamed.

Edible parts

Flower buds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Tolol, Tongtak

Synonyms

Zingiber aquosum Blume; Zingiber pachystachys Valeton; Zingiber tongtak K. Schum.;