Torch Ginger
Etlingera elatior
Family: Zingiberaceae · Also called Ginger Flower, Bunga Kantan, Dala, Alpinia speciosa, Cardamomum speciosum, Geanthus speciosus
Heady & Exotic · Summer bloomer
The torch ginger is where flower meets food, a spectacular tropical bloom that rises directly from the ground on a tall, bare stem, separate from the plant's leafy stalks. The inflorescence is a cone of waxy, overlapping bracts in shades of pink, red, and porcelain white. In Southeast Asian cuisine, the young flower buds are a prized culinary ingredient.
diversity, exotic beauty, courage
In the Victorian language of flowers, torch ginger means “Exotic beauty and bold presence”. In Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine, torch ginger buds are a key ingredient in laksa, rojak, and other dishes, the flower buds are sliced thin and add a distinctive sour-spicy flavor. In Thailand, the flower is called dala and is used both in cooking and traditional medicine. The plant can reach 20 feet tall.
Did You Know?
Torch ginger flowers grow directly from the underground rhizome, not from the leafy stems, the flowering stalk rises independently from the ground. The flower buds are edible and are a key ingredient in Malaysian laksa soup. A single plant can produce dozens of flowering stems simultaneously.
Tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines
Torch Ginger is native to Southeast Asia. It naturally grows in tropical rainforests of malaysia, indonesia, thailand, and the philippines.
Scent Profile
“A warm, gingery spice with waxy, tropical undertones, edible and aromatic, bridging the gap between flower and spice.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameEtlingera elatior
- FamilyZingiberaceae
- Native ToSoutheast Asia
- Bloom SeasonSummer
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
In Malaysian and Indonesian cuisine, torch ginger buds are a key ingredient in laksa, rojak, and other dishes, the flower buds are sliced thin and add a distinctive sour-spicy flavor. In Thailand, the flower is called dala and is used both in cooking and traditional medicine. The plant can reach 20 feet tall.