Zingiber purpureum (montanum of hort.) is a well known and useful medicinal ginger known by its Thai name ‘Plai.’ Its rhizomes are harvested and made into a rub for muscle soreness and other ailments. In the gardening world it is still relatively unknown. The ‘Chocolate Pinecone’ as its also called, is a very easy and productive species and one of the earliest species to bloom. Its foliage habit is like the edible ginger (Zingiber officinale) but on a large dose of steroids. It produces upright stalks that easily reach 7 feet. The inflorescences are chocolate brown and produce large creamy flowers. These appear on separate leafless stalks. The blooming stems are not very long but still can be used in cut flower arrangements. Zingiber montanum was considered the correct name for this plant for the past few decades.
As with many plants this species has gone through yet another name revision when it was recently (late 2020) determined that Zingiber montanum is actually a different species and is the correct name for the species grown as Zingiber peninsulare and Zingiber newmanii. Thus the original name of Zingiber purpureum is back to being the correct name for the medicinal plant known as ‘Plai’ and ‘Cassumanar.’ This medicinal plant is what we offer here. Since this name revision is very new, any research or articles you see on Zingiber montanum involving medicinal use are referring to the cultivated Z. purpureum sold here.
Grows to 7 feet in medium to full sun. Hardy in Zone 8 and above.
