Family: Zingiberaceae
Common name: Torch ginger, Ginger flower, Torch flower, Red ginger lily, Torch lily, Painted net leaf, Indonesian tall ginger, Nerve plant, Porcelain rose, Bunga kantan, Wild ginger, Philippine wax flower
Torch ginger is a stunningly beautiful flowering plant admired for its towering stalks of beautiful, waxy flowers and large fronds. They are native to Southeast Asia, but are now grown all over the world in tropical countries.
Plant characteristics
These beautiful plants can grow to a height of 5-6 meters with a strong, woody stem that can grow very tall. Like in most ginger plants, the stem is formed of overlapping leaf bases.
The roots are rhizomatous with thick, fibrous rhizomes that spread horizontally just below the surface of the soil. New leaves grow from these rhizomes helping in vegetative propagation.
Torch ginger plants can live for many years, new leaves forming from the spreading roots. Leaves are long, lance-shaped, about 50-90 cm long. They are dark green and grow on long pseudostems towering overhead.
In fact, these plants looks prehistoric with their tall, towering stems and long, waxy leaves.
Flowers of the Torch ginger are a marvel – large, waxy, and torch-like in appearance growing from the base of the plant. These torch-like flowers are formed on separate stalks that grow from the base, like torches that are planted in the ground.
Flowers could be white, pink, or red all of them waxy and glorious in appearance. Each flower is 15-20 cm in diameter with 20-25 layers of floral bracts or modified leaves, and 4-5 layers of involuntary bracts.
Encased within all these layers are the yellow-colored true flowers, about 90-100 of them. These flowers have a sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies and insects to them.
After pollination, Torch ginger flowers produce small, oval fruits that contain multiple seeds. Fruits are initially light red in color, turning deep reddish-brown on maturity.
Gardening Tips
Torch ginger plants are tropical, growing well in warm, sunny weather with good rainfall. They prefer rich, well-drained soil, and good sunlight. These plants can grow well in the shade of larger trees where they get partial, filtered sunlight.
Rhizomes can rot if there is water-logging or if the soil is clayey. So make sure you do not overwater them, and keep the soil porous. Torch ginger plants cannot tolerate frost. So you could grow them in green houses in temperate weather, or bring them indoors to tide over the cold winters.
Torch ginger plants grow very tall with sturdy, yet slanting stems. So make sure the plants have enough space to grow in height and girth. Prune any diseased or rotting stems to keep the plant healthy.
These plants are reasonably tolerant of pests, but you can spray neem oil or insecticides occasionally if you notice any infestations.
The name Etlingera comes from a botanist, Andreas Ernst Etlinger; and name ‘elatior’ comes from the Latin word elatius, which means tall, referring to the tall fronds.
Some common variants of the Torch ginger are Giant red torch ginger, White torch ginger, Sunset red torch ginger, and Borneo pink torch ginger.
Uses of Torch Ginger
Flower buds, as well as tender parts of the stem and leaves are used as food, in salads and dishes, raw or cooked. Ripe seed pods are also cooked and eaten in different parts of the world.
Flowers can also be eaten raw or cooked. Stems and leaves are diced and used in curries and soups. Fruits can also be candied and eaten.
Torch ginger leaves are sometimes used to wrap or steam food items. Fiber obtained from the stem and leaves is quite sturdy.
Parts of the plant were used in traditional herbal medicine to cure cuts, wounds, skin diseases, sprains, diabetes, hypertension, ear ache etc. since the plant has antifungal, antibacterial, and hepatoprotective properties.
Torch ginger plants are mostly grown as ornamentals, adding grace, majesty, and a tropical vibe to your garden.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and rhizomes. Each plant produces abundant seeds which can be collected and planted in moist, well-drained soil.
Rhizomes from the parent plant can be divided into small pieces, each having a healthy shoot. Plant these pieces in moist, well-drained soil till they produce new shoots and rhizomes.
Photographed at:
Bangalore International Centre; Kings Flora Organic Farm Resort, Wayanad
