Varieties of Ginger

Varieties of Ginger

There are different types of ginger other than common ginger which is used as a spice. Many ginger species are known for their ornamental features and medicinal properties.

Well-known Ginger types

1. Common Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber Officinale

Ginger is an important spice used in cooking and medicine. It has significant medicinal properties. Ginger grows best when exposed to direct sunlight.

Common Ginger

2. Beehive Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber spectabile

The plant is also called Ginger wort and Malaysian ginger.

The plant is commonly known in the West by the common name "beehive ginger", due to its unusual inflorescences which resemble a beehive. It has many medicinal uses.

3. Bitter Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber zerumbet

Its common names include Pinecone ginger, Lempoyang ginger, and Shampoo ginger. The leaves and leaf stalk are also fragrant. This ginger is slightly bitter and is used to enhance the flavor of food. The most common use of bitter ginger is in shampoo and conditioners.

Bitter Ginger<

4. Myoga Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber mioga

Other Name: Japanese Ginger

Myoga Ginger's flowers and shoots are used in cooking. They have a refreshing taste with a strong, piquant aroma.

5. Crepe Ginger

Botanical Name: Cheilocostus speciosus

Other names for ginger include Malay ginger and Cane reed.

Known for its bright white blooms that resemble crepe paper. The flowers and buds are edible and have a pungent taste.

Crepe Ginger<

6. Hidden Ginger

Botanical Name: Curcuma petiolata

Other names include Queen Lily, Siam tulip, and hidden lily.

Hidden Ginger is a plant native to Malaysia. It has an intense spicy flavor and a bitter taste. Its blossoms come in various shades of red, pink, or orange.

7. Butterfly Lily Ginger

Botanical Name: Hedychium coronarium

White Ginger, Flor De Mariposa, Mariposa Blanca, and Dolan Champa are the common names of this plant.

It has fragrant flowers that resemble butterfly wings. Its spicy roots are used to flavor soupy dishes and the essential oil is good for fevers.

8. Shell Ginger

Botanical Name: Alpinia zerumbet

Also known as Variegated ginger and Getto plant.

Shell ginger has oval-shaped leaves with green lines. It is commonly used as an ornamental plant. Its flowers emit a sweet fragrance. The leaves of this plant are used in cuisines.

9. Dancing Ladies Ginger

Botanical Name: Globba winitii

It is also called as White Dragon Flower

This is a unique flowering plant. The flower emits a sweet honeysuckle-like scent and looks like a dancing woman when moved by the wind.

10. Yellow Ginger

Botanical Name: Hedychium flavescens

It has been called various names including "Cream Garland Lillie", "Yellow Ginger Lily"

Yellow gingers are often grown by gardeners because they produce beautiful, highly fragrant flowers. However, they're not as flavorful as regular gingers.

Buy Hedychium ginger(white)

11. Red Ginger

Botanical Name: Alpinia purpurata

Other names for ginger include Ostrich plumes, Pink cone ginger, Jungle king, Teuila flower, and Tahitian ginger.

It has a strong spicy smell but is most well known for its bright red or pink bracted flowers.

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12. Torch Ginger

Botanical Name:Etlingera elatior

The other names of Torch ginger are Wild ginger, Combrang, Bunga kantan, Philippine waxflower, Red ginger lily, and Rose de porcelain.

This beautiful tropical plant has large and colorful flowers that come in bright colors. The entire plant is edible and is used in many cuisines worldwide.

13. Mango Ginger

Botanical Name: Curcuma amada

Other Names: Mavina Shunti

The rhizomes are very similar to common ginger but lack its pungency, and instead have a raw mango flavor. They are used in making pickles in south India and chutneys in north India

14. Kahili Ginger

Botanical Name: Hedychium gardnerianum

It has other names including fragrant ginger lily and garland flower.

This plant is native to the Himalayan regions. It is a flowering plant of the ginger family. It is a perennial which grows up to a height of 180cm and is grown primarily for ornamental purposes.

15. Thai Ginger

Botanical Name: Alpinia galanga

It is also called as Greater Galangal, Ginseng Ginger, Krachai Dum Ginger, Lengkuas, and Blue Ginger.

Rhizomes of Thai gingers are used in Unani medicine. The rhizome has a pungent smell and strong taste reminiscent of citrus, black pepper, and pine needles.

Thai Ginger

16. Pineapple Ginger

Botanical Name: Tapeinochilos ananassae

Other names include Indonesian wax ginger and Lipstick ginger.

It has evergreen leaves and yellow flowers within red bracts. As an indoor plant, their flowers are valued for their beauty.

17. Resurrection Lily

Botanical Name: Kaempferia rotunda

Other names include Peacock ginger, Variegated ginger lily, Indian crocus, and Round-rooted galangal.

It is a plant with impressive foliage and lily flower-like blooms. The flowers are fragrant. Its tubers have an unpleasant spiciness and are used similarly to ginger.

18. Siam Tulip

Botanical Name: Curcuma alismatifolia

It is called Pink ginger tulips, summer tulip.

It bears pink flowers with a reddish hue. It can grow as an indoor plant and is also sold as a cut flower.

19. Snap Ginger

Botanical Name:Alpinia calcarata

Cardamom ginger and Indian ginger are its other names.

Snap Gingers are named after their yellow-red flowers which resemble Snapdragons. The leaves of Snap Gingers have a sweet, soothing fragrance that resemble that of Cinnamon bark.

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Happy Gardening!

Dr. Vandana K.