Bunga Kantan, Bunga Siantan, Torch Ginger Flower
(Etlingera Elatior)
My bunga kantan plant is grown from a rhizome. It was dug out from the garden of a friend in Ipoh. Like me, she also loves gardening. The mother plant was given to her by a kind makcik neighbour who lives a few doors away. Through gardening, we became friends and made more friends.
This plant loves a lot of water, full sun and well drained soil. I waited a long long time for it to bloom, I think a year or so.
Looks like a pink lotus.
No wonder they are also called torch flower.
This plant can grow fast and may reach 15 - 20 feet tall. I had a hard time cutting and disposing off the dried stems. I need to sharpen my chopper knife first before the cutting job and my usual pruning scissors won't do.
Great for cooking some yummy asam laksa, or seafood tom yam tonight. Yes! This is a flower I can eat and for health too. The flower, stems and leaves smells nice. In fact, the whole plant smells good. Makes a picturesque view too.
WOW..these are really cool!! I've not seen this kind of ginger flower before! Do the blooms last a long time?
ReplyDeleteLynn
lynn,
ReplyDeleteThis flower can last a few weeks from bud to full bloom. Together with the flower stalk, it is about 2-3 feet tall. Some species are dark red in colour. It certainly will look like a burning torch.
Beautifull !!!
ReplyDeleteSee photrom.fr and romtop.blogspot.com
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Hi from the Gold Coast Australia,
ReplyDeleteOur torch ginger plant is doing very well (over 8 ft high with many shoots). However it has never bloomed. We have been waiting for 7years for the flowers. How much sun does your plant get?
Any hints as what we can do?
Thanks
goldcoast@bigfoot.com
This plant likes a lot of sun. It is a native plant that grows wild here. Our weather is very hot. I grow mine in the sunniest area. The ginger flower sellers advised me to water frequently and likes sandy soil. Mine started to bloom after I watered it more frequently. Once it started to bloom, it was continued until today.
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