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Useful Tropical Plants

Alpinia zerumbet

(Pers.) B.L.Burtt & R.M.Sm.

Zingiberaceae

+ Synonyms

Alpinia cristata Griff.

Alpinia fimbriata Gagnep.

Alpinia fluvitialis Hayata

Alpinia nutans longiramosa Gagnep.

Alpinia penicillata Roscoe

Alpinia schumanniana Valeton

Alpinia speciosa (J.C.Wendl.) K.Schum.

Amomum nutans (Andrews) Schult.

Catimbium speciosum (J.C.Wendl.) Holttum

Costus zerumbet Pers.

Languas schumanniana (Valeton) Sasaki

Languas speciosa (J.C.Wendl.) Small

Renealmia nutans Andrews

Renealmia spectabilis Rusby

Zerumbet speciosum J.C.Wendl.

Common Name:

Alpinia zerumbet
Variegated form, cultivated in the Parque Botanico de Maspalomas (Gran Canaria)
Photograph by: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Creative Commons License
Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet Alpinia zerumbet

General Information

Alpinia zerumbet is a herbaceous, evergreen perennial plant producing leafy stems that can be 2 - 3 metres tall from a creeping rootstock[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is particularly valued as a digestive tonic and is often harvested, both a a medicina and a a food and source of materials. It is cultivated throughout South-East Asia and in many other tropical and subtropical countries[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. Especially in its variegated form the plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental in parts of the tropics[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

E. Asia - southern China, southern Japan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia.

Habitat

Shaded areas in open forest[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
],

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height2.50 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Plants in this genus generally grow best in a sunny or partially sunny position in a moist, fertile soil[
974
Title
Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
Publication
 
Author
Ahmed Fayaz
Publisher
Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
Year
2011
ISBN
978-1-55407-489
Description
A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
]. Prefers a slightly acid soil[
423
Title
Desert Tropicals
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Plants flower on stems that are more than one year old[
352
Title
KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].

Edible Uses

The leaves are used as perfumed wrappers for cooked rice[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The pith of the young stem was commonly eaten in parts of Malaysia[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Medicinal

A decoction of the leaves is used as a bath against fevers[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The rhizome is astringent, carminative, sedative, stimulant, stomachic and tonic[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
] It stimulates the digestion, and is therefore employed in the treatment of a wide range of digestive disorders including dyspepsia, flatulence, vomiting, gastralgia, colic and diarrhoea, it is also used in the treatment of malaria, rheumatism and bronchial catarrh[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].
The fresh rhizome is applied topically in the treatment of ringworms and other skin diseases[
372
Title
Flowers of India
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.flowersofindia.net/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
].

The seed is used to clear cold, invigorate the spleen and warm the stomach[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

The leaf sheaths are sometimes used as fibre for making rope[310.
The plant is pulped and the fibre used for making paper[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Division of the rhizome[
423
Title
Desert Tropicals
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The main focus of the site is succulent plants, but it also contains information on a wide range of other species. Usually at least one good photograph, plus basic information about the plant and its cultivation.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Alpinia+zerumbet>

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