Question: Is Hawaiian White Ginger edible?

[richard-in-cincy]

I brought back a sprig of White Ginger from Hawaii. It's now challenging my banana trees to see who can be the biggest (has anyone ever seen 20-foot banana trees in Ohio? I have one in my back yard.)

But I need to tackle this pot of white ginger because it's going to explode the pot (like it did the last one). And when I smell all that wonderful ginger scent, I keep thinking, I should cook with this.

But I don't want to poison anyone. LOL

 

[maycee]

Looks like there are several kinds of white ginger. Here is a link

to NC State University that says the tubers are spicy. Does yours look like the one in the picture.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/perennials/Hedycco.htm

 

[richard-in-cincy]

Yep, that looks like mine.

When I was repotting it this spring I cut into a rhizome and it smelled really great.

 

[CathyZ]

Richard, it is not very tasty but edible. The cooking gingers are much better

to eat- they also have flowers but tiny, sort of ugly flowers. They are grown for pungent flavor. The beautiful white ginger that you have is grown for its amazing flowers.

 

[richard-in-cincy]

Thanks so much for the info Cathy...

I had hoped to find some wonderful new exotic taste. So I'll just leave it alone and let it do it's wonderful flowers. That smell is out of this world.