December is the month when we celebrate Christmas. This season is usually represented by the color “RED.” So timely that the Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) Plant of the Month (POM) for December 2020 is the “red ginger.”
Red ginger is scientifically known as Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum. that belongs to family Zingiberaceae. It is widely cultivated and naturalized in the tropics but is native to Malaysia. Parts of red ginger namely stem, fruit, leaves and seeds when boiled can cure or treat stomach ache. In addition, its flowers when boiled can treat cough.
TRIVIA: The actual flowers of red ginger can be found inside the long bright red bracts that grow on long stalks.
Come, visit and explore MBG soon and see it for yourself!
Happy holidays!
#plantito #plantita
by: Angela A. Limpiada and Analyn C. Malayba