Family: Costaceae
Common name: Crepe ginger, Spiral flag, Cane reed, Malay ginger, Spiral ginger, Wild ginger, White costus, Naari kabbu, Naayi kabbu, Aanakoova, Channakoovu, Kostam
Crepe ginger is a beautiful species of ginger that can grow tall and majestic, beautifying your garden with red and white flowers. These plants are native to Southeast Asia, but are now popular as ornamentals and medicinal plants in most tropical countries around the world.
Plant characteristics
Crepe ginger plants can grow to a height of 1.5 to 2 meters with long spiral stems that has a smooth texture and reddish-brown tint.
Root system is fleshy and tuberous like those of Ginger plants, spreading just below the surface of the soil, producing new shoots from it.
Leaves are large, lance-shaped or elliptical about 20-30 cm long. These leaves have a glossy green texture and a prominent mid-rib with a smooth margin.
They grow alternately around the stem in a spiral patterns, the stems themselves growing in spiral shapes, giving the plant its name Spiral ginger.
Beautiful, paper-thin, crepe-like flowers emerge from deep red conical inflorescences, that appear in clusters at the tip of the stem. The flowers are white and tubular with crepe paper-like petals.
Each flower is about 5-10 cm in diameter with a yellow throat at the center. Crepe ginger flowers attract various pollinators like bees, butterflies, insects, and small birds into the garden to feast on its nectar.
Once pollinated, the flowers produce conical seedpods that contain numerous black seeds that aid in propagation. Seed capsules are initially green in color, later turning red and brown as they mature.
Gardening Tips
Crepe ginger plants prefer bright direct sunlight for 4 to 6 hours a day, growing quickly in well-drained soil. Regular watering is needed, especially during summer months, but avoid overwatering to prevent root rot since the root is very close to the soil.
These plants are quite sturdy and tolerant of adverse growing conditions. Once they are estalished in the soil, these plants need very little care and attention. Pruning of dead or rotting stems can help keep the plant beautiful.
Uses of Crepe ginger
Crepe ginger plants have a long history of uses in traditional Ayurvedic and herbal medicine, in the treatment of bronchitis, fever, rash, wounds, inflammations, wounds, kidney problem, urinary diseases, fever, cough, cold, skin irritations, and digestive disorders. Sap of the leaves and young stems also have medicinal uses.
Different parts of the plant are used in pharmaceutical industry. Younger tubers, leaves, and fruits are occasionally eaten in raw or cooked form.
Crepe ginger plants are mostly grown as ornamentals, though they can also help prevent soil erosion with their shallow spreading roots. Their height, beautiful spiral stems, and stunning red-white flowers make them a valuable addition in landscaping projects.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and root cuttings. Mature seeds collected from fruit capsules can be sown in moist, well-drained soil to encourage germination.
Tubers of the parent plant can be separated, or cut into pieces and planted to produce new plants. Each piece of root should have at least one shoot in them.
Photographed at: Bangalore International Centre
