Alpinia zerumbet

Alpinia zerumbet, commonly known as shell ginger among other names, is a perennial species of ginger native to East Asia. The plants 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.
Names
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 Japan, A. zerumbet is called gettō in standard Japanese. In the languages of the Ryukyu Islands, it is known as sannin on Okinawa, shanin on Tanegashima in the Ōsumi Islands, sa'nen on Amami Ōshima, sani on Okinoerabujima, samin on Miyako-jima, samin, sa'nin and sami on Ishigaki Island, sami on Taketomi Island and sa'nin on Iriomote Island. It is known as souka on Chichijima in the Bonin Islands and sōka in the Daitō Islands east of the Ryukyus.
In Taiwan, A. zerumbet is called yuètáo in Mandarin Chinese, hó͘-chú-hoe or ge̍h-thô/go̍eh-thô in Taiwanese Hokkien kiéu-kiông or ngie̍t-thò in Siyen Hakka. In the island's aboriginal languages, it is known as silu in Bunun, jiaboe and garyo in Paiwan, bussiyan, bissiyan and bassiyan in Atayal and lalengac in Sakizaya.
In China, it is called yànshānjiāng, as well as yùtáo, cǎoběn zhíwù and dà húluóbo among other names.
Characteristics
Native to eastern Asia, Alpinia zerumbet 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 A. zerumbet while torch ginger was reclassified in the genus Etlingera. No species is accepted as A. speciosa today.
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.
Uses
The long leaf blades of A. zerumbet are used for wrapping zongzi, a traditional Chinese dish made of rice stuffed with different fillings. In Okinawa, Japan, its leaves are sold for making an herbal tea and are also used to flavor noodles and wrap muchi rice cakes.
The plant's dried fruits are treated as one of the numerous medicinal spice ingredients in a Sichuan hot pot soup base under the name shārén in Sichuan Mandarin Chinese.
Statistically, Okinawan natives who consume a traditional diet that includes A. zerumbet have a very long life expectancy. Recent research has investigated its effects on human longevity and the phytochemicals that may be responsible.
A. zerumbet contains many kavalactones structurally related to the compounds in kava (Piper methysticum) and may help prevent high glucose induced cell damage.
Gallery
References
External links
Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt. et Smith Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University)
zerumbet
Taxa named by Rosemary Margaret Smith