Etlingera elatior
Etlingera species – The Torch Gingers
One of the most amazing of all of the gingers is the Torch Ginger, a huge variety of flowers as well as great foliage.
The flowers have long stems and will last as a cut flower for over a week in good conditions. It is the shape and colour of the flower that gives it the common name of torch ginger.
They do make wonderful garden plants, and great cut flowers, however the Torch Ginger is also grown for other uses.
The flowers that are in bud form, ( Bunga Kantam) are edible and are used in stir fries, salads as well as Laxas. So what we see as an exotic flower is a widely used ingredient in South East Asian cooking.
The unopened flowers can be used curries or even stir fries, they can also be eaten raw. They add an aromatic taste and some flavour depth to Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian cooking.
Some of the stem, the white section can also used to make Sambal bongkot which is widely used in Balinese dishes.
Varieties and Origins
Torch Gingers (Etlingera Elatior) are found in Malaysia, Thailand and other areas. Flower colour varies from brilliant red to pink and apricot, rare white flowering plants are also available.
Other Torch Ginger varieties include, Etlingera corneri or ‘Siam Rose’, which is difficult to obtain in Australia at present and Etlingera hemisphaerica which has deep red tulip like flowers, again difficult to find.
Care and growing conditions for Torch Gingers.
These are a very shallow rooted plant with the rhizomes sitting close to the top of the soil. Flowers grow on a separate stem that shoots from the base.
Over time the rhizomes will spread and form a natural clump.
All Torch Ginger varieties are a tropical plant and require these conditions to thrive. Generally torch gingers are best suited to tropical gardens, as they will grow to 4m they best grown in the ground and are not really suited to any but the largest of pots.
Etlingera Elatior can reach well over 3m to 5m depending on good conditions, large types can get to 7m, so its a good thing that the wonderful flowers appear on separate stalks that emerge from the underground tuber these stems will reach over 1m with the wonderful flower on top. These really are a tropical plant and require warmth and humidity to flourish, they not frost tolerant. In cooler areas, try a greenhouse.
Summary
- Position – Light Shade.
- Soil – Humus Rich moist.
- Climate – Tropical to sub tropical.
- Flower colour – Red to pink.
- Foliage Green tinged with red.
Torch Ginger Propagation
Propagation of Torch Gingers is from seed or by dividing the tubers.
You can also propagate Torch Ginger from seed. Seeds are fairly easy to germinate in warm moist conditions, many growers use the plastic ‘baggy’ method. Germination will occur in around 1 month so be patient, wait until they get 5-6 cm before potting up.
From seed to a fully grown flowering plant can take 3 – 4 years.
Landscaping Uses
In the right conditions, torch gingers can reach 12 ft (4m) in height with the flower spike, reaching around 1m, although often much shorter in cultivations, and it will definitely be shorter in cooler areas.
The foliage and the flowers add a tropical look to the garden. Best suited to tropical and sun tropical zones, this is not a cold tolerant plant.
The plant itself is slow to spread and regarded as invasive in most circumstances.
