Helani tulip ginger
Etlingera hemisphaerica

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has tillers or runners. It has an aroma. The rhizomes are creeping and up to 1 m long. The rhizome or underground stem is robust and branched. The false stems are erect and dark green and grouped closely together. They are thickened at the base and grow 3-7 m tall. They are 2-3 cm thick. There are 15-25 leaves. They are alternate and narrow. The lower ones are smaller than the higher ones. They are bronze green above and dark green underneath. They are 15-75 cm long by 5-15 cm wide. The leaf stalk has a furrow. The flowering shoots grow from the rootstock. The flowers are in a round head with a flattened top. The flower stalks are 35-100 cm long by 1-1.5 cm wide. They have bracts along them. There are many flowers in a crowded head. The flowers are 4-7 cm long. The fruit are angular or rounded and greenish yellow. They are 2-3 cm across.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in primary and secondary forests up to 1,300 m above sea level. It needs a rich soil and humus. It is best in a slightly shaded location. In Cairns BG.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Indonesia (country/location of origin), SE Asia, Thailand

How it is used for food

The flowers are used as a condiment or flavouring. The flowering shoots are eaten. The half ripe fruit are also used. The young shoots are eaten raw or cooked.

Edible parts

Flowers - spice, leaves, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds or by division of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Honje hedjo, Honje hutan, Ondje, Wild torch ginger

Synonyms

Alpinia hemisphaerica (Blume) D. Dietr.; Amomum anthodioides (Teijsm. & Binn.) Koord.; Amomum eriocarpum (Kuntze) K. Schum.; Amomum hemisphaericum (Blume) K. Schum.; Cardamomum anthodioides (Teijsm. & Binn.) Kuntze; Cardamomum eriocarpum Kuntze; Cardamomum hemisphaericum Kuntze; Elettaria anthodioides Teijsm. & Binn.; Elettaria atropurpurea Teijsm. & Binn.; Elettaria hemisphaerica Blume; Nicolaia anthodioides (Teijsm. & Binn.) Valeton; Nicolaia atropurpurea (Teijsm. & Binn.) Valeton; Nicolaia hemisphaerica (Blume) Horan.; Nicolaia rostrata Valeton; Nicolaia sanguinea Valeton; Phaeomeria anthodioides (Teijsm. & Binn.) Koord.; Phaeomeria atropurpurea (Teijsm. & Binn.) K. Schum.; Phaeomeria hemisphaerica (Blume) K. Schum.; Phaeomeria rostrata (Valeton) Loes.; Phaeomeria sanguinea (Valeton) Koord.;