Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior)

Description

Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior), also known as Red Ginger Lily or Wild Ginger, is a stunning tropical perennial prized for its spectacular, torch-like flower heads, culinary uses, and ecological contributions to diverse gardens. Native to Southeast Asia, it thrives in warm, humid climates with rich, well-drained soils and a position in full sun to part shade. In tropical and subtropical parts of Australia, it grows vigorously, forming large, lush clumps that add dramatic vertical structure to gardens.

Torch Ginger produces tall, leafy stems that can reach 3–5 metres in height, with striking pink to red flower bracts emerging from separate stalks at ground level. These spectacular flowers attract bees, birds, and other pollinators, making them valuable biodiversity boosters in regenerative gardens.

The flower buds and young shoots are edible and widely used in Southeast Asian cuisines, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. They add a unique, tangy, floral flavour to salads, curries, and relishes. In addition to its culinary uses, Torch Ginger has been used anecdotally in traditional medicine to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and support general wellbeing, although scientific research is still emerging in this area.

In permaculture systems, Torch Ginger offers multiple functions: providing food, habitat for wildlife, biomass for mulching, and seasonal beauty. Due to its size, it is best planted in larger spaces where it can flourish and create cooling microclimates beneath its dense foliage.