Etlingera elatior
(Jack) R.M.Sm.
Zingiberaceae
Alpinia acrostachya Steud.
Alpinia diracodes Loes.
Alpinia elatior Jack
Alpinia javanica (Blume) D.Dietr.
Alpinia magnifica Roscoe
Alpinia speciosa (Blume) D.Dietr.
Amomum magnificum (Roscoe) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks
Amomum tridentatum (Kuntze) K.Schum.
Bojeria magnifica (Roscoe) Raf.
Cardamomum magnificum (Roscoe) Kuntze
Cardamomum speciosum (Blume) Kuntze
Cardamomum tridentatum Kuntze
Diracodes javanica Blume
Elettaria speciosa Blume
Geanthus speciosus Reinw. ex Blume
Hornstedtia imperialis (Lindl.) Ridl.
Nicolaia elatior (Jack) Horan.
Nicolaia imperialis Horan.
Nicolaia intermedia Valeton
Nicolaia magnifica (Roscoe) K.Schum. ex Valeton
Nicolaia speciosa (Blume) Horan.
Phaeomeria imperialis Lindl.
Phaeomeria magnifica (Roscoe) K.Schum.
Phaeomeria speciosa (Blume) Koord.
Common Name: Torch Ginger
Flowers for sale in the local market for use as a condiment
Photograph by: Ahmad Fuad Morad
Flowers for sale in the local market for use as a condiment
Photograph by: Ahmad Fuad Morad
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Appaloosa
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Growing plant
Photograph by: Craig Franklin
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0-au
Plant on left with flower stems near base; developing fruits on right
Photograph by: Dick Culbert
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Flowers near the base of a mature plant
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Flower starting to open
Photograph by: Mokkie
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Etlingera elatior is a large, evergreen, herbaceous, perennial plant growing in large clumps of erect, leafy stems up to 6 metres tall and flowering stems about 60 - 100cm tall[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
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 plant is used locally as a food and medicine. It is very widely grown as an ornamental in the tropics and in greenhouses in the temperate zone, being valued especially for its spectacular flowering display[
,
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.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia through Indonesia and the Philippines.
Habitat
Not known in the wild
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Perennial |
| Height | 5.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a position in full sun or partial shade[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. Succeeds in a moist, fertile, but well-drained soil[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
Plants can flower all year round[
302- Title
- Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
- Publication
-
- Author
- Whistler. W. Arthur.
- Publisher
- Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-88192-448-2
- Description
- An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - cooked with rice[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
The young flower shoots and half-ripe fruiting shoots are used locally as a substitute for tamarind[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
]. Used as a condiment in curries[
].
The stalks of the inflorescence are chopped and added to laksa pots (various curries or soups made with rice noodles)[
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 fruits are candied[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. Half-ripe fruits are eaten in soups and stews[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
].
The ripe seeds are eaten raw[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
,
].
Medicinal
The fruits and leaves are utilized medicinally[
].
Other Uses
The shoots are made into mats[
].
A very fine fibre is obtained from the leaves[
454- Title
- Useful Fiber Plants of the World
- Publication
-
- Author
- Dodge C.R.
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
- Publisher
- USDA; Washington.
- Year
- 1897
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Propagation
Seed -
Division of the rhizomes[
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.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
