Etlingera elatior aka Torch Ginger

Etlingera elatior is also called torch ginger. It belongs to the ginger family. This evergreen plant lives for many years. It grows in large clumps from rhizomes, or stems below ground. Kew gives its native range as peninsular Thailand to western Malesia. It comes from the wet tropics. Gardeners grow it for its leaves and bold flower heads.

In warm gardens, leafy stems reach 12–15 feet [3.7–4.6 metres]. Clumps can spread to 10 feet [3.05 metres] wide. Other accounts give heights near 16 feet [5 metres]. At the extreme, they reach 20 feet [6 metres]. Plants stay much shorter in cool climates. The tall leafstalks bend in an arch beneath long, leathery leaves. Each leaf has ribs and a groove down its centre. Leaves can reach 3 feet [0.9 metres] long.

Bare flower stalks grow straight from the rhizomes, apart from the leaves. They stand about 2–3.3 feet [0.6–1 metre] tall. Each bears a cone-shaped flower head with large red bracts. These leaf-like parts droop around small yellow flowers and smaller fertile bracts. They hide much of the true flower from view. Plants can bloom all year when conditions suit them. Each flower stem dies once it has bloomed. New stems grow from the base. The flower heads also make cut flowers for use indoors.

Grow torch ginger in full sun or light shade. It needs rich soil that drains well but stays moist. Mulch helps keep water in the soil between waterings. Give it shelter, as strong winds can break the leafstalks. Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA zones 10–12 for outdoor growth. Frost harms this tender plant. It cannot bear freezing conditions. Even sites free of frost can be too cool for strong growth. Nights below 50°F may make growth less strong. In cool homes, plants may stay small and fail to flower. Reports list no major pest or disease problems.

Several parts serve as food, but each needs its own preparation. Cooks add leaves to rice and flower stalks to laksa. In some places, young flower shoots replace tamarind. Fruiting shoots that are partly ripe serve the same use. Fruits that are partly ripe go into soups and stews. People also candy the fruits and eat ripe seeds raw. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known hazards. That report does not prove safety for pets. It also notes that people use leaves and fruits as medicine. It gives no treatment details. People make mats from shoots and get fine fibre from leaves.