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Alternate Name(s)
Pink Ginger, Ostrich Plume
Scientific Name
Alpinia purpurata
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Alpinia
Status in Hawaii
Naturalized
Native Region
Southwest Pacific Islands, Maluku Islands Indonesia
Cultural Significance
Alpinia purpurata (red ginger) holds cultural and practical value in Hawaiʻi and across Asia. In traditional Hawaiian practice, the stems are used to treat stomachaches and mashed rhizomes mixed with salt are applied for headaches, while its vibrant bracts are popular in lei making and its leaves yield a subtle yellow dye. In Indonesia, red ginger is especially prized in traditional jamu medicine for respiratory ailments, colds, and flu, and is also valued for its spicy flavor in cooking and beverages. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, demand surged and prices reportedly rose dramatically as people sought it as a natural health remedy, underscoring its enduring medicinal and economic importance.
Sources
Alpinia purpurata - Plant Detail - Tropical Plants Database - NTBG Database. (2017). Ntbg.org. https://ntbg.org/database/plants/detail/alpinia-purpurata
Alpinia purpurata | Pacific Bulb Society. (2025). Pacificbulbsociety.org. https://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Alpinia_purpurata
Alpinia purpurata. (2021). Nparks.gov.sg. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/1/6/1645
Empathy Herbal. (2025, January 24). Red Ginger: 11 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits! Empathy Herbal. https://www.empathyherbal.com.au/blogs/articles/red-ginger-11-scientifically-proven-health-benefits?srsltid=AfmBOoqUqS4zHUF5rPUfFgLhnVxRril90NkdAJ26Qzkj4B_0wemHZRJw
Collection Date
Fall 10-4-2025
Collection Number
BYUH_25_24
Recommended Citation
Gamba, Clariza Mae Anoc, "ʻAwapuhi ʻulaʻula" (2025). Herbarium Collection. 15.
https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/herbarium/15