Beehive ginger, Pinecone ginger, Golden-shampoo ginger, Nodding gingerwort
Zingiber spectabile
Family: Zingiberaceae
What it is like
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.
Where it is found
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.
Countries/locations it is found in
Andaman Is., Asia, Australia, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Hawaii, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia (country/location of origin), Pacific, SE Asia, South America, Thailand, USA
How it is used for food
The rhizome is sometimes used as a flavouring.
Edible parts
Rhizome, root, spice
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Chadak, Tepai, Tepus haliya puar, Tepus tanah, Tepus tundok