''Alpinia zerumbet'', commonly known as shell ginger, is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of ginger native to

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...

. They can grow up to tall and bear colorful funnel-shaped flowers. They are grown as ornamentals and their leaves are used in cuisine and traditional medicine. They are also sometimes known as the pink porcelain lily, variegated ginger or butterfly ginger.

Characteristics

Native to eastern Asia, this plant is a rhizomatous, evergreen tropical perennial that grows in upright clumps tall in tropical climates. It bears funnel-formed flowers. Flowers have white or pink perianths with yellow labella with red spots and stripes. There are three stamens, but only one has pollen. There is one pistil. The fruit is globose with many striations. In more typical conditions, it reaches feet tall in the green house, and feet tall, as a house plant. It was originally called ''Alpinia speciosa'', which was also the scientific name of torch ginger. To avoid the confusion, it was renamed as ''A. zerumbet'' while torch ginger was reclassified in the genus ''Etlingera'', no species is called ''A. speciosa.'' today. Alpinia zerumbet2

Cultivation

''Alpinia zerumbet'' is best grown in rich medium-wet, to wet well drained soils in full sun to part shade. Afternoon shade in hot summer climates, is recommended. Indoors, the plant must have bright light and humid conditions. Flowering rarely occurs before the second year. ''Alpinia zerumbet'' is called a "shell ginger" or "shell flower" most commonly, because its individual pink flowers, especially when in bud, resemble sea shells. Other common names in English include "pink porcelain lily", "variegated ginger, "butterfly ginger", and "light galangal". In

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

it is known as ''gettō (ゲットウ). In Okinawan, it is known as ''sannin''. In Chinese, it is known as ''yàn shānjiāng'' (艳山姜) or ''yuetao'' (月桃).

Uses

The plant's long leaf blades are used for wrapping

zongzi ''Zongzi'' (; ), ''rouzong'' () or simply ''zong'' (Cantonese Jyutping: ''zung2'') is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves (generally of the species ''Indocalamus t ...

, a traditional Chinese dish made of rice stuffed with different fillings. In Okinawa, Japan, ''A. zerumbet'' is known in the local language as ''sannin'', or in Japanese as ''getto''. Its leaves are sold for making an herbal tea and are also used to flavor noodles and wrap muchi rice cakes. Statistically, Okinawan natives who consume a

traditional diet In nutrition, diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight-management reasons (with the two often being related). Although humans are o ...

that includes shell ginger have a very long life expectancy. Recent research has investigated its effects on human longevity and the phytochemicals that may be responsible. Alpinia zerumbet (Shell ginger) contains many Kavalactones structurally related to the compounds in Kava (Piper methysticum) and may help prevent high glucose induced cell damage.

Gallery

File:Shell Ginger Alpinia zerumbet 7395.JPG, Shell ginger flowers File:Alpinia zerumbet variegata.jpg, ''Alpinia zerumbet variegata'' File:豔山姜花序總苞 20190508131956.jpg, ''The inflorescence protected by two bracts before flower bloom.''

References

External links

Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt. et Smith
Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University) {{Taxonbar, from=Q2703227 zerumbet Taxa named by Rosemary Margaret Smith