Description:
The medical form of ginger historically was called "Jamaica ginger"
It was classified as a stimulant and carminative, and used frequently for dyspepsia and colic. Ginger is on the FDA's 'generally recognized as safe' list, though it does interact with some medications, including warfarin.
Ginger is contraindicated in people suffering from gallstones as the herb promotes the release of bile from the gallbladder. Ginger may also decrease joint pain from arthritis may have blood thinning and cholesterol lowering properties that may make it useful for treating heart disease.
Cultivation:
Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of its aesthetic appeal and the adaptivity of the plant to warm climates, ginger is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, three to four feet high.
Traditionally, the root is gathered when the stalk withers; it is immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, in order to kill it and prevent sprouting. Scalding, applied generally to the older and poorer roots, produces Black Ginger; washing and scraping gives White Ginger. The natural color of the "white" scraped ginger is a pale buff; it is often whitened by bleaching or liming, but this generally reduces its value
Plant info:
Zingiberaceae
Tags: herbs, alternative medicine, Ginger, Zingiber officinale,
