Hi, Could anyone please help me with name of this flower please? I pictured this beautiful flower during my recent trip to San Diego Zoo where there is a tremendous botanical variety as like the animals in the zoo. I want to send this picture as an entry for a photograph contest arranged within a small fun group at my company. Any help for the name of this plant would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch, Aniruddha.
Sorry, I missed uploading the picture ( I have this chimpy brain).... well..here you go now.. Appreciate your quick response Chris ! Thx a ton again.. Aniruddha
And ID for this one also please...I took this one at the SeaWorld in Florida. It was seen in 2 different colors, green leaves with white flowers as well as reddish brown leaves with pink red flowers. I am sorry I lost the picture for the pink shade. Thx in advance !! rgds Aniruddha
Ani, if you make tamales or steam sticky rice, it's tastiest to use the leaves of the shell ginger (A. zerumbet) to wrap the stuff in before steaming it. I have the non-variegated variety that was featured in the plant of the day, and use it freely.
Wow, that's interesting ! Will try some time and let you how it tastes ! Thanks again for your special culinary tips here !!! -Ani
I've also started using the roots in mild curries; they're like a milder, sweeter ginger than Zingiber officianale (common ginger) and it also gives me something to do with the rhizome when it starts to overpack its bed. I have these plants confined; my unconfined Z. officianale is running wild in one of my lower beds, much to my chagrin. You may wish to bear this in mind if you decide to grow A. zerumbet. Or any of the ginger family, for that matter. A friend of mine has A. zerumbet that's taking over her garden. You may not have the same problem, as PA has a fairly well defined winter to kill back the canes, but down here in the land of eternal springtime there's nothing but me and my shovel to check the growth...
I realized that almost as soon as I said it. Not everyone has my lovely weather... But if she grows it in a greenhouse environment she's got a chance.
lorax....thanks for the tips on the roots in the curries, I cook a lot of them, anything special you need to do to preapare them? Ed
