Common Name: Galanga

General Information

Kaempferia galanga is a small, stemless perennial herb growing up to 45cm tall from a rhizomatous rootstock that includes little, ovate tubers. The thick, rounded leaves usually lay flat in a rosette on the ground
Gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine, the plant is also sometimes cultivated as a spice and medicinal plant in the tropics, especially in India, Malaya and China. The plant is also grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam.

Habitat

Open forest, forest edges, and bamboo forest, on various soils, at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.45 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Kaempferia galanga is a plant of the moister tropics with a distinct dry season, it prefers a humid climate and a minimum temperature that seldom falls below about 18°c[].
Prefers a rich, moist soil and a position in the shade[]. Species in this genus generally prefer a position in partial shade, growing best in a moist, well-drained, fertile, humus-rich soil[].

Edible Uses

The young leaves can be eaten raw, steamed, in curries or cooked with chilli paste and used as a side dish with rice[].

The tender young rhizomes are aromatic, They can be eaten raw, steamed, in curries or cooked with chilli paste and used as a side dish with rice[, ]. The rhizomes can also be used as a condiment and, when dried, have been used as a substitute for turmeric in curry powder[].

Medicinal

Galanga is a bitter, stimulant herb with a camphoraceous aroma. It is antibacterial, improves the digestion and has diuretic effects[, ].

The root is the part most commony used, being taken internally to treat colds, bronchial complaints, dyspepsia and other gastric complaints, and headaches[, , ]. It is chewed to treat sore throats and coughs[]. It is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of high blood pressure and asthma[]. The roots are an ingredient of a post partum medicine[].
Externally, the root is applied as a poultice to wounds, swellings and ulcers, and is also used to treat dandruff and rheumatic joints[, ]. It is used as a gargle for sore throats[].
The roots are harvested in the dormant season, well-washed then dried for later use[].

The leaves are chewed to treat coughs and sore throat[].

Other Uses

The aromatic, powdered root is used in linen sachets to repel moths from clothes[, ].

An extract of the roots is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner[].
The aromatic, powdered root is added to body powders and cosmetics[, ].

Propagation

Seed -
Division of the rhizomes

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