Shell ginger
Alpinia zerumbet

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A herb. The false stems are 2-3 m high. The leaf stalk is 1-1.5 cm long. The leaf blade is sword shaped and 30-60 cm long by 5-10 cm wide. They are hairy at the edge. They taper to the tip with a spiral point. The flowers droop. They are 30 cm long. They are enclosed by 2 long sheaths when young. There are 1 or 2 flowers. The capsules are bright red. It is about 2 cm across. It is ribbed. The seeds are angled.

It is grown as an ornamental. There are about 200-230 Alpinia species. They are mostly tropical and subtropical.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. It needs regular moisture and humidity. It needs a fertile humus-rich, well drained soil. It grows as an understory plant with bright light. It grows in S China. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. Melbourne Botanical gardens. It grows in hardiness zones 8-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canary Islands, Central America, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Fiji, Ghana, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras,India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia (country/location of origin), Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Pacific, Papua New Guinea (country/location of origin), Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rotuma, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, USA, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The pith of the young stem is eaten. The stems, leaves and flowers are boiled and eaten. The rhizome is used as a spice. The ripe fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Rhizomes, root, flowers, stem pith, leaves, fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown by division of the clump. They can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

'awapuhe, Ge-toLight galangal, Honje belang, Light ginger, Luheluhe, Padegaw-gyi, Punnagchampa, Sannin, Shell flower, Yan shan jiang

Synonyms

Alpinia speciosa (Wendl.) K. Schum. (1893) not (Blume) D.Dietrich (1839); Alpinia nutans sensu Baker pro parte; Alpinia fimbriata Gagnep.; Alpinia fluviatilis Hayata; Alpinia penicillata Roscoe; Alpinia schumanniana Valeton; Catimbium speciosum (Wendl.) Holttum; Costus zerumbet Persoon; Languas schumanniana (Valeton) Sasaki; Languas speciosa (Wendl.) Small; Renealmia nutans Andrews; Renealmia spectabilis Rusby; Zerumbet speciosum J.C. Wendland;