Chinese keys
Boesenbergia rotunda

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A part of the ginger family. The plant continues to grow from year to year. The plant is 30-50 cm high. The roots are like a long orange brown group of fingers. These rhizomes are the size of fingers. They are 6-10 cm long and 1 cm wide. Inside the brown skin is a yellow sweet smelling tissue. The leaves occur as 3-4 leaves 10-30-50 cm long by 5-10 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 5-12 cm long and has a channel. The leaf sheath is red. The flowers are at the ends of the stalk. There are few flowers surrounded by narrow bracts. Each bract 5 cm long surrounds one flower. The flowers are white or pink. The flowers have a smell. The fruit is oval.

There are about 50 Boesenbergia species. It has several flavonoids.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. In colder regions, leaves will die back in winter. They need a fertile, open, loamy soil. The soil need to be well drained. They shoot best with warmth and humidity. They then grow best in warm shady positions. They need a rainfall of 1000 mm per year. In China it grows in dense forests at about 1000 m in S China. In Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Pacific, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The swollen rhizomes are eaten raw, used in soups along with vegetables, and in fish curries. In some places the leaves are used in pickles. The roots give a spicy flavour to many dishes. The rhizome is used to spice food. The very young leaves are sometimes used as a spice.

It is a cultivated food plant. It is commonly used in cooking.

Edible parts

Rhizome, root, tubers, leaves, spice

How it is grown

Plants are grown from pieces of root with one or two buds attached. These are planted 5 cm deep.

Its other names

Local names

Ardong, Bhuchampakamu, Bhuichampa, Chee-puu, Chinese ginger, Dekunchi, Finger root ginger, Kachai, Khchiey, Kondakalava, Kra chaai, Krachai, Kunci, Kunir putih, Merkunchi, Poh-see, Seik-phoo, Suo shi, Temoo kuntji, Temu kechil, Temu kunchi, Temu kunci, Temu putri, Tiha, Tihaso, Yai macha

Synonyms

Boesenbergia cochinchinensis (Gagnep.) Loes.; Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schlecht.; Curcuma rotunda L.; Gastrochilus panduratus (Roxb.) Ridley; Gastrochilus rotundus (L.) Alston; Kaempferia cochinchinensis Gagnep.; Kaempferia ovata Roscoe; Kaempferia pandurata Roxb.;