Common Name: Gingergrass

General Information

Cymbopogon martini sofia is an evergreen, tufted, aromatic grass with numerous erect culms arising from a short, stout, woody rhizome[]. The stems are up to 3 metres tall[].
The plant has been gathered from the wild since antiquity, and this method still produces an important portion of the essential oil. However, the plant has also been cultivated since the beginning of the 20th Century in India[]. Gingergrass oil will probably remain mainly of local importance only in India[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Indian subcontinent.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Gingergrass is a plant of the semi-arid to moist tropical and subtropical lowlands[]. It occurs naturally and in cultivation in India from 12 - 32N and has been grown successfully from between the latitudes of 5 - 32° on either side of the equator[310. It is grown at elevations between 150 - 1,200 metres[]. It can succeed with an annual rainfall below 600 mm, but requires about 750 mm annual rainfall for a reasonable single harvest and at least 1500 mm if it is to be harvested more frequently[]. It prefers warm and sunny conditions with average daily temperatures of 20 - 25°c; temperatures of 25 - 30°c for extended periods can significantly reduce yields and suppress flowering[]. Frost causes damage at all growth stages and at higher elevations aboveground plant parts may die back during the cool season[]. Even slight frost at harvesting can be devastating and may reduce yields by half[].
In its natural habitat this species grows on poor, often slightly alkaline soils (pH 7.5 - 8.5) of sandy-loamy to loamy texture. Soils rich in organic matter and nitrogen are reported to yield high quality oil. It can also succeed on slightly saline soils[]. In cultivation, fertile well-drained soils of pH 6 - 7 are considered optimum. On alkaline soils (pH 8.5 or higher) growth and yields are reduced, but oil quality is not affected[]. Gingergrass does not tolerate acid soils but is fairly tolerant of prolonged periods of heavy rain that saturate the soil and also of imperfectly drained soils.
Long days seem to favour oil production, both in quantity and in geraniol content[].
There are two forms of this species and these hybridize spontaneously in the wild wherever their habitats overlap. They are very similar to look at but differ considerably in the essential oil they produce:-
Var sofia. Known as Gingergrass or Sofia. A tetraploid form, the essential oil has a turpentine-like aroma and a geraniol content of up to 65%[]. It grows in dense masses; its habitat is wetter and less sunny[].
Var martini. Known as Palmarosa or Motia. A diploid form, the essential oil has a floral rosy smell and a geraniol content of up to 95%[]. It grows in scattered patches; habitat dry and sunny[]. See the separate record for more information on this plant.
It grows naturally in round clumps or tussocks, sometimes forming continuous closed stands of several hectares[]. It is strongly cross-pollinated and wild stands are highly variable. Oil yield and geraniol content are highest under long days[].
New plantations should be weeded several times, but an established crop quickly smothers most weeds after being harvested. Yields tend to decline rapidly if the plants are not fertilized regularly[].
Plants should be harvested when they are flowering, the oil content of the flowers is highest after opening and drops dramatically after flowering[].
The first harvest can be taken about 6 months after planting; the number of subsequent harvests per year depends on temperature and water availability with up to 4 harvests per year possible in some areas[].
The time of harvesting affects oil yield and quality. Harvesting during the rainy season gives high herbage and oil yields, but low geraniol content, while during the dry season herbage and oil yield are lower and geraniol content higher[].
The height of cutting is generally 20 cm above the ground. Cutting high leaves a substantial stubble, so reducing the cost of harvesting and distillation, but cutting low stimulates regrowth of the crop[].
Well managed plantations produce annual herbage yields of 10 - 15 t/ha, giving 50 - 100 kg oil. Improved cultivars may yield up to 25 t/ha of herbage producing 150 kg oil[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is grown extensively to control erosion on erodible hillsides and to stabilize edges of terraces and gullies[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is grown extensively to control erosion on erodible hillsides and to stabilize edges of terraces and gullies[].

Other Uses

An essential oil, called gingergrass oil, is obtained from the flowering tops of the plant[]. It was once a popular perfumery material for rose compounds, particularly in soaps, but lost its popularity due to frequent adulteration[]. It is now mainly applied in the soap and detergent industry in India[].
All aboveground parts of the plant contain essential oil, the oil content of the flowers being higher than that of the stems and leaves. The oil content in high-yielding selections grown under optimum conditions can reach 0.5 - 1.5%; the average yield from traditional stills, however, is only 0.2 - 0.3% (both on a fresh weight basis)[].
Gingergrass oil has a harsher aroma than palmarosa, being turpentine-like, somewhat fatty, herbal and cumin-like odour with a rose nuance and woody undertone[]. The chemical composition of gingergrass oil is characterized by high proportions of limonene, p-mentha-1(7),8-dien-1-ol (trans-isoperillyl alcohol), p-mentha-2,8-dien-1-ol, carveol and carvone[].

Propagation

Seed - on a small scale the seed is sown in trays, on a larger scale it can be sown in nursery beds. Only just cover the seeds and make sure it does not dry out. The tiny seeds are often mixed with fine sand to obtain even distribution, and the mixture is then beaten to detach the glumes and improve germination rates. Healthy seed germinates 10 - 20 days after sowing and seedlings are ready for transplanting in 6 - 8 weeks when 15 - 20 cm tall[]. The plant grows vigorously, so seedlings should be planted singly[].
Care should be taken to use pure seed of var. sofia, in particular in India and Pakistan where natural stands often are mixtures of var. martini and var. sofia[].
Propagation by offshoots and cuttings is also possible, but there are indications that seedlings yield more herbage and oil[].

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