Thai black ginger, Thai ginseng
Kaempferia parviflora

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. It does not have a stem. It has a small rhizome that is deep purple inside. It grows 20 cm tall. There can be one or several leaves. They are 8-16 cm long and oval and unequal on the sides. There are a few flowers without stalks in a tuft in the centre. They are white with a purple blotch in the middle.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, SE Asia, Thailand (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Rhizome

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Cepaimba, Gamon-ni, Kalahalood, Krachai dam

Synonyms

Kaempferia rubromarginata (S. Q. Tong) R. J. Searle; Stahlianthus rubromarginatus S. Q. Tong;