Zingiber zerumbet

Zingiber zerumbet

A native to Southeast Asia, this species was a canoe plant brought here by the Polynesians and called Awapuhi. The Awapuhi is the earthly form of the Hawaiian God Kane. The rhizome is edible and was used in Hawaiian dishes and in Malay cuisine. This ginger is more bitter than the normal edible ginger called Zingiber officianale. The leaves were used to flavor food made in the Emu or Hawaiian underground barbeque.

The colorful bract is a modified leaf with a cluster of small flowers within it.  This ginger has many medicinal qualities. It has antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti allergenic properties.  It was used as an anti-inflammatory, mixed with noni to treat pain, used for the relief of fevers, toothaches, and digestive issues.