Can an ornamental plant become a medicinal herb?
I was excited to see Zingiber Spectabile or Beehive Ginger when my wife brought it in our geannhomegarden for propagation. Delighted, I expressed quickly 3 adjectives for this ornamental plant when my wife handed the plant to me; Unique, Stunning and Exotic! My wife was laughing out loud from my reaction.
Beehive ginger plants (Zingiber spectabilis) are named for their distinct floral form that resembles a small beehive. I’ve propagated this ornamental plant for their striking appearance and range of colors.
The leaves of the plant are long and mostly oblong shaped and can reach a height of 4.5 metres (15 ft), or even more. The plant's inflorescence is set atop a spike and about 12 inches in height. The bracts (modified leaves) which form a flower are shaped in beehive and can differ in colour from green, yellow, golden, pink and red. The ginger flower with the bract can be an excellent ornamental display for up to one week.
Beehive ginger require indirect or filtered sunlight, keeping the soil moist regularly and best in containers/pots because they can easily crowd out other plants.
“In Malaysia, the plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation of the eyes. It is prepared for use by pounding the leaves of the plant into a thick paste, and then topically applying it to the required part of the body. It has also been recorded being used to treat burns, as a treatment for headaches and back pain, and as an agent for food preservation. Academic research has found that the plant has antimicrobial properties, and significant concentrations of the zerumbone synthase enzyme which may be effective in treating colon cancer.” (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zingiber_spectabile).
Feel free to comment and contact me if you prefer keeping potted beehive ginger in your home, condo or garden. If you enjoyed this post, I’d be grateful if you can share it to your friends on Facebook or Twitter. Thank you.
Much love,
the Aging OFW
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