Shamp Ginger Lily is the common name of the Zingiber zerumbet plant which is a species that belongs to the ginger family. The plant is also known by some other common names such as Pinecone Ginger, Pinecone Lily, and Bitter ginger. The perennial is mostly cultivated in the Asian regions of India, Sri-lanka, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Pacific Islands including China and Taiwan.
The tropical plant goes dormant during the winter period and now it is cultivated worldwide for its medical uses. Shampoo ginger is the common term for the milky fluid material found in the cones that could be obtained by pressing and used as a hair shampoo and/or conditioner. Some professional shampoos contain this chemical as an additive.
From midsummer through fall, large green coneflower buds are developed. Small cream-yellow blooms emerge from behind evergreen cone covers. The cone develops a beautiful reddish shade after flowering and lasts for 2-3 weeks. Gingers hold a unique place in the plant realm due to their beauty in form and structure, brilliant hue, and incredible precision. Ginger evokes ideas of exotic Asian cuisine ingredients.
How To Care For Shampoo Ginger Lily?
- Water: To keep the area wet, Zingiber zerumbet requires at least 1 inch of water on a weekly basis. Maintain a damp but not soggy environment surrounding the root system. Hydrate the soil surrounding your wild ginger plants once every week, in the morning or at sunset, or whenever the top inch of soil gets dry. When the plant is growing, water the roots much more. During its dry season, Zingiber zerumbet doesn’t quite require much moisture. Water sparingly in the autumn, winter, and early spring when there is no foliage, pinecone-like inflorescences, or flowers to nourish the plant.
- Soil: Shampoo Ginger lily requires healthy, well-drained soil anywhere it is grown. If you reside in a region where the shrub is deemed unwanted or difficult to grow, put it in a pot filled with rich potting mix. Where there is poor terrain, improve it with cattle dung or rich, well-rotted compost and sand. The pH of the shrub is mildly acidic to moderate.
- Light: The plant needs full sun to moderate shade, with at least 6 hours of direct sunshine every day. The plants belong to the tropical areas and that is why they can tolerate some direct sun in the morning and during the dawn. When planting inside the house, put the plant near the east or south window where it can receive ample sunlight and warmth for growth.
- Temperature: The plant bulbs prefer temperatures between 71 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. It can withstand short-term frost but requires some shelter during a deep frost. Protect the rhizomes using mulching cover or bring them in to be overwintered towards the completion of the plant growing season, especially if you reside beyond its tolerance area. Cover young shoots and foliage with a frost cloth during spring freezing. Heat is not a concern for Zingiber zerumbet as long as appropriate moisture and nutrient availability are provided.
- Fertilizer: The plants and the new bunnings of the plant mostly feed on the soil for nutrients and survive without any problem. You can avoid fertilizer if you want to and instead you can make your soil fresh and maintain it all year round to keep your plant growing.
Shampoo Ginger Lily Benefits
Shampoo ginger lily has lesser-known side effects than the long list of benefits that it provides. The plant comes with both medicinal and ornamental qualities that make it one of the best plants to grow at home. Here are some major benefits of the plant:
- Shampoo ginger lily has the power to stop the growth of malignant cells. Tumor cells that have been stimulated will be stopped or blocked from developing. As a result, the person will be safeguarded against cancer invasion.
- Everybody, even guys, would like to have a lean and perfect physique. The shampoo ginger lily plant component can make the body’s metabolism run more smoothly, making the fat-burning process more effective.
- Across several Asian regions, rhizomes are used as a medication to treat swelling, respiratory problems, abdominal discomfort, breathing difficulties, dyspepsia, thrush, diabetes, coughs, infectious diseases, fever, toothache, digestive problems, bowel problems, diarrhea, severe sprains, physical discomfort, boils, fish intoxication, injuries, hemorrhoids, antispasmodic, anti-rheumatic, and diuretic agents.
- The plant has also some very essential culinary uses. The flower bugs are boiled and then people eat them as vegetables. Also, the rhizomes are eaten raw as lalab with rice whether peeled or unpeeled. Furthermore, the young shoots and rhizome as used as a herd just like ginger. Lastly, the flowers bracts are also eaten by people whether raw or cooked in different parts of the world.
Also read: Firestick plant: Know the Benefits, Best Caring and Propagation Tricks
Conclusion
The plant is quite easy to grow and as the owner of this plant, you can leverage many benefits once the plant matures. Make sure you water the plant 1 inch every week, put it under bright light, and provide good nutrient-rich soil in order to leverage the benefits in the future. The plant is known by many different names all around the globe and serves different uses everywhere. Keep the plant safe from pests including mites, aphids, and cardamom root grub which can hamper the growth of the plant and damage it completely for a long time. Also, if you want to grow more shampoo ginger lily plants in your garden, you can propagate the plant through seeds or you can use the division of wild ginger rhizomes method to grow more bunnings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much time does shampoo ginger lily take to grow?
Usually, the plant reaches its maturity after ten months if you take proper care of the plant.
Q2: When a user can witness flowers emerging from Zingiber zerumbet plant?
Usually, during the mid-to-late summer, the flowers emerge from the rhizomes that resemble a pine cones.
Q3: Can we use shampoo ginger lily as conditioner or shampoo?
A light red colored juice is produced by the plant and extracted through the buds which are used as a shampoo and the collected sap can be used to massage the hair and skin.
