Torch ginger

Torch ginger
	File:Etlingera elatior2.jpg
Scientific classification
Missing taxonomy template (fix):	Etlingera
Species:	Template:Taxonomy/EtlingeraE. elatior
Binomial name
	Template:Taxonomy/EtlingeraEtlingera elatior; (Jack) R.M.Sm.
Synonyms
	Alpinia acrostachya Steud.; Alpinia elatior Jack; Alpinia magnifica Roscoe; Alpinia speciosa (Blume) D.Dietr.; Amomum tridentatum (Kuntze) K.Schum.; Bojeria magnifica (Roscoe) Raf.; Cardamomum magnificum (Roscoe) Kuntze; Cardamomum tridentatum Kuntze; Diracodes javanica Blume; Elettaria speciosa Blume; Etlingera elatior var. pileng Ongsakul & C.K.Lim; Hornstedtia imperialis (Lindl.) Ridl.; Nicolaia elatior (Jack) Horan.; Nicolaia imperialis Horan.; Nicolaia intermedia Valeton; Nicolaia magnifica (Roscoe) K.Schum. ex Valeton; Nicolaia speciosa (Blume) Horan.; Phaeomeria magnifica (Roscoe) K.Schum.; Phaeomeria speciosa (Blume) Koord.;

Torchflower (Etlingera elatior) (also known as Torch ginger, among other names) is a species of herbaceous perennial plant in the family Zingiberaceae, native to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Equatorial Guinea and New Guinea.

The showy pink flowers are used in decorative arrangements and are an important ingredient in food across Southeast Asia.

Names

E. elatior is also known as "torch ginger", "ginger flower", "red ginger lily", "torchflower", "torch lily", "wild ginger", "Indonesian tall ginger" and "porcelain rose".^[2]

In other languages, it is known as: "Philippine wax flower"; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist. or cekala (Sumatra); Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist. (goda olu), ගොඩ නෙලුම් (goda nelum), or සිද්ධාර්ථ (siddartha); Chinese: 火炬姜 (Template:Zh-sp); Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist. (dala).^{[citation needed]}

Description

The species grows as a pseudostem from a rhizome; it takes about 18–22 days for the first leaf to grow from the rhizome. The leafy shoot lasts for about 70 days and may reach a height of 3–6 metres.^[3]^[4] Its leaves are leathery and grow around 85 cm (33 in) long and 18 cm (7 in) broad with a central groove.^[3] The fibers of Etlingera elatior are strong.^[5]

Flower

The capitate inflorescence appears from the shoot after 30 days, reaching a height of 2.5 m it swells gradually and turns pink before blooming after more than 50 days. The inflorescence is made of 20–25 layers of floral bracts and 3-4 layers of involuceral bracts at full bloom; it may have 90-120 true flowers inside.^[4] The capitulum can reach a diameter of 25 cm.^[6]

Chemistry

From the leaves of E. elatior, three caffeoylquinic acids, including chlorogenic acid (CGA), as well as three flavonoids quercitrin, isoquercitrin and catechin, have been isolated.^[7] Content of CGA was significantly higher than flowers of Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), the commercial source.^[8]

A protocol for producing a standardized herbal extract of CGA from leaves of E. elatior (40%) has been developed, compared to commercial CGA extracts from honeysuckle flowers (25%).^[7]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and New Guinea.^[2]

Uses

The flower buds are edible.^[11] In North Sumatra (especially among the Karo people), the flower buds are used in a stewed fish dish called Arsik ikan mas (Andaliman-spiced carp).^{[citation needed]} In Bali, people use the white part of the bottom part of the trunk for cooking chilli sauce called "Sambal Bongkot", and use the flower buds to make chilli sauce called "Sambal Kecicang".

In Thailand, it is eaten in a kind of Thai salad preparation.^[12] In Malaysia, the flower is an essential ingredient in cooking the fish broth for a kind of spicy sour noodle soup called "asam laksa" (also known as "Penang laksa"),^[13] in the preparation of a kind of salad called kerabu and many other Malay dishes.^[14] The fruit is also used in Indonesian cooking.^[15]

In Karo, it is known as asam cekala (asam meaning 'sour'), and the flower buds, but more importantly the ripe seed pods, which are packed with small black seeds, are an essential ingredient of the Karo version of sayur asam, and are particularly suited to cooking fresh fish. In Sundanese, it is known as Honje.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

Etlingera elatior

Luang Prabang, Laos

Luang Prabang, Laos
File:Etlingera elatior-0001 06.jpg
File:Etlingera elatior-0001 01.jpg
File:Etlingera elatior-0001 08.jpg
File:Nicolaia elatior 3.JPG
File:Nicolaia elatior 2.JPG
File:Nicolaia elatior 1.JPG
File:Etlingera elatior (Scott Zona) 001.jpg
File:Colpfl07a.jpg
File:Starr 030807-0081 Phaeomeria magnifica.jpg
File:Starr 030807-0078 Phaeomeria magnifica.jpg
Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm. (Maui)

Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm. (Maui)
Flower

Flower

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Riffle, Robert Lee (1998). The tropical look: an encyclopedia of dramatic landscape plants. Timber Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-88192-422-0. Search this book on
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 "Etlingera elatior L." Plant of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Huxley, Anthony (1992). Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. 2. London : New York: Macmillan Press. p. 217. ISBN 1-56159-001-0. Search this book on
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Choon, S.Y.; Ding, P. (2016). "Growth Stages of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) Plant". Sains Malaysiana. 45 (4): 507–515. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
↑ Quinaya, D.C.P.; d’Almeida, J.R.M. (2019). "Possibility of Exploring and Applying Wastes from Some Ornamental Plants (Elatior etlingera; Costus comosus; Heliconia bihai) as Sources of Natural Cellulosic Fibers". Journal of Natural Fibers. 17 (10): 1488–1496. doi:10.1080/15440478.2019.1581118.
↑ Kuck, Loraine; Tongg, Richard (1960). Hawaiian Flowers and Flowering Trees. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co. p. 139. Search this book on
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 Chan, E.W.C. (2009). "Bioactivities and chemical constituents of leaves of some Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia". Ph.D. thesis, Monash University, 305 p., http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/149589 Archived 2012-12-03 at Archive.today
↑ Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y.Y.; Ling, S.K.; Tan, S.P.; Lim, K.K.; Khoo, M.G.H.; et al. (2009). "Caffeoylquinic acids from leaves of Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae)". LWT - Food Science and Technology. 42 (5): 1026–1030. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2009.01.003.
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y.Y.; Wong, L.F.; Lianto, F.S.; Wong, S.K.; Lim, K.K.; Joe, C.E.; Lim, T.Y.; et al. (2008). "Antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibition properties of leaves and rhizomes of ginger species". Food Chemistry. 109 (3): 477–483. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.016.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y; Wong, S; Lim, K; Tan, S; Lianto, F; Yong, M; et al. (2009). "Effects of different drying methods on the antioxidant properties of leaves and tea of ginger species". Food Chemistry. 113 (1): 166–172. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.07.090.
↑ "Etlingera elatior - Torch Ginger, Torch-ginger, Philippine Waxflower". Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers. 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
↑ "'ดาหลา' มาหาความอร่อย". คมชัดลึกออนไลน์ (in ไทย). 2015-08-16. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
↑ "Family Recipe for Asam Laksa". Retrieved 30 May 2021.
↑ Tan, Florence (2018). Florence Tan's Timeless Peranakan Recipes. Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4794-03-9. OCLC 1132374857. Search this book on
↑ "Etlingera elatior (torch ginger)". cabi.org. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

External links

Media related to Torch ginger at Wikimedia Commons

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[Riffle-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Riffle, Robert Lee (1998). The tropical look: an encyclopedia of dramatic landscape plants. Timber Press. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-88192-422-0. Search this book on

[POWO-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 "Etlingera elatior L." Plant of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

[RHSD-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Huxley, Anthony (1992). Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. 2. London : New York: Macmillan Press. p. 217. ISBN 1-56159-001-0. Search this book on

[SM-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Choon, S.Y.; Ding, P. (2016). "Growth Stages of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) Plant". Sains Malaysiana. 45 (4): 507–515. Retrieved 4 January 2023.

[fiber-5] Quinaya, D.C.P.; d’Almeida, J.R.M. (2019). "Possibility of Exploring and Applying Wastes from Some Ornamental Plants (Elatior etlingera; Costus comosus; Heliconia bihai) as Sources of Natural Cellulosic Fibers". Journal of Natural Fibers. 17 (10): 1488–1496. doi:10.1080/15440478.2019.1581118.

[6] Kuck, Loraine; Tongg, Richard (1960). Hawaiian Flowers and Flowering Trees. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co. p. 139. Search this book on

[chan2009-7] 7.0 ^7.1 Chan, E.W.C. (2009). "Bioactivities and chemical constituents of leaves of some Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia". Ph.D. thesis, Monash University, 305 p., http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/149589 Archived 2012-12-03 at Archive.today

[chan2009a-8] Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y.Y.; Ling, S.K.; Tan, S.P.; Lim, K.K.; Khoo, M.G.H.; et al. (2009). "Caffeoylquinic acids from leaves of Etlingera species (Zingiberaceae)". LWT - Food Science and Technology. 42 (5): 1026–1030. doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2009.01.003.

[atip-9] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 ^9.3 Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y.Y.; Wong, L.F.; Lianto, F.S.; Wong, S.K.; Lim, K.K.; Joe, C.E.; Lim, T.Y.; et al. (2008). "Antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibition properties of leaves and rhizomes of ginger species". Food Chemistry. 109 (3): 477–483. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.02.016.

[eddm-10] 10.0 ^10.1 Chan, E.W.C.; Lim, Y; Wong, S; Lim, K; Tan, S; Lianto, F; Yong, M; et al. (2009). "Effects of different drying methods on the antioxidant properties of leaves and tea of ginger species". Food Chemistry. 113 (1): 166–172. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.07.090.

[11] "Etlingera elatior - Torch Ginger, Torch-ginger, Philippine Waxflower". Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers. 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2025-07-09.

[12] "'ดาหลา' มาหาความอร่อย". คมชัดลึกออนไลน์ (in ไทย). 2015-08-16. Retrieved 2022-11-02.

[13] "Family Recipe for Asam Laksa". Retrieved 30 May 2021.

[14] Tan, Florence (2018). Florence Tan's Timeless Peranakan Recipes. Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4794-03-9. OCLC 1132374857. Search this book on

[15] "Etlingera elatior (torch ginger)". cabi.org. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

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