Purple ginger
Zingiber montanum

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. The stems can be 2 m tall. The rhizome is thick and spreading. It is pale yellow inside. The leaves are simple and alternate. They are oblong to sword shaped and 18-35 cm long by 4-6 cm wide. The flowers are in spikes at the top of the plant. The flowers are white or pale yellow. They form bunches 20 cm long. The fruit is a round capsule.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in muddy soil and lowlands up to 1,300 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bali, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Caribbean, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, West Indies, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young flowering shoots are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. The young leaves are cooked and eaten. The rhizomes are used to flavour food. They are also made into pickles.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Flowers, fruit, shoots, leaves, spice, rhizome, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by division of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Banada, Banglai, Bangle, Banooda, Bengle, Bolai, Boleh, Bongelai, Bulai, Bungelai, Cassumar ginger, Dlingo bengle, Jangli ada, Kadushunti, Kaphu, Karraallamu, Karrapasupu, Kebeb, Kunit bolai, Kunyit bolai, Lempuyang ungu, Moran ada, Naga hajing, Nisan, Penlekosht, Plai, Vanardraka

Synonyms

Amomum cassumunar (Roxb.) Donn; Amomum montanum J. Koenig; Amomum xanthorhiza Roxb. ex Steud.; Cassumunar roxburghii Colla; Jagera monana (J. Koenig) Giseke; Zingiber anthorrhiza Horan.; Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.; Zingiber cliffordiae Andrews; Zingiber luridum Salisb.; Zingiber montanum (J. Koenig ex Retz.) Theilade; Zingiber purpureum Roscoe; Zingiber xantorrhizon Steud.;