Alpinia galanga (Galangal) Plant

Description

Alpinia galanga, known as Galangal or Greater Galangal, is a perennial herb in the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family. Alpinia galanga is native to Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Alpinia galanga is a tall, leafy plant that can grow up to 2 metres in height. It has a robust, reed-like stem. The leaves are lanceolate, long, and wide, with a smooth, glossy texture and a prominent midrib. The flowers are small, white with red streaks, and arranged in panicles. They are quite attractive and fragrant.

The most notable part of Alpinia galanga is its rhizome, which is a thick, aromatic underground stem. The rhizome is light brown on the outside and pale yellow or white on the inside. The rhizome is a common ingredient in Thai and Indonesian cooking, particularly curries and soups.

The rhizome contains essential oils, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. It is also a source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, and iron. The rhizome is also used for its aromatic qualities in perfumes and incense.

Medicinal Uses

The rhizome is an aphrodisiac, carminative, tonic, diuretic, expectorant and disinfectant. It has been traditionally used to treat range of conditions including skin infections such as eczema and ringworm, poor appetite, bronchitis, heart disease, headache, lumbago, rheumatism, sore throat, and chest pain. In traditional Chinese medicine, Alpinia galanga is known as “gao liang jiang” and is used to warm the stomach and alleviate pain.

• Specifications.

50mm Pot Size
Divided Plant

Ideal Growing Conditions.

Alpinia galanga thrives in tropical climates with well-drained soil and partial shade. It is often found in lowland forests and along riverbanks. It is drought intolerant, preferring moist soil.  It is frost sensitive and can become dormant in Winter.

Pruning: Alpinia galanga is a rhizomatous tropical plant, so pruning is simple and mainly for tidiness and health. Cut spent or yellowing stems down to the base, this encourages fresh new shoots from the rhizome. Once flowering has finished, you can trim back the flower stems. Every few years, divide the rhizomes to prevent overcrowding and maintain vigour. Division is best done in warm weather during active growth. In cooler areas, foliage may die back in winter. Cut back damaged growth in spring when new shoots emerge.

Pests and Diseases: Alpinia galanga is fairly resilient but can experience issues in humid or stressed conditions. Occasionally, you may see sap-sucking insects, like mealybugs, spidermites or scale, which can be controlled with insecticidal soap, Eco Oil or Neem Oil

Soil: You need a high quality potting mix, not a pre-bagged product such as you find at Bunnings etc, try a landscaping place. However, as I am not local to you I still can’t say if they have good quality or not. You are looking for well composted pine bark and large particles. This ensures air flow to the roots and good drainage. When time to re-pot, select a pot one size up ONLY and ensure it has many holes for good drainage.

Fertiliser: We recommend and use Yates Nutricote Standard Black 270 Day Controlled Release Fertiliser however any good quality slow release fertiliser will do. We also stock an Australian Made liquid indoor fertiliser The Plant Runner Indoor Plant Food which is easy to use and odourless

• We cannot send plants to Western Australia & Tasmania due to restrictions.

• We strongly recommended to select Express Post shipping for all plant orders to minimise the transit time.

Interested in other species from the Ginger family? Try these

Elettaria cardamomum (True Cardamom) Plant

Zingiber officinale (Ginger) Plant