Awapuhi aka Shampoo ginger
zingiber zerumbet

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant every square foot
sunlight requirements: 6-14 hours
look out for:
harvest notes: harvest flowers when blushing red
seasons: spring, summer, fall
perennial

Shampoo ginger is by far one of the coolest plants in the ginger family. It’s a perennial that will go dormant and disappear from your landscape during the dry winter months but then come springtime itll spring forth from its underground rhizomes and make big tropical bladed leaves, followed by its prized flower. The flower is where this plant gets its nickname, shampoo ginger, because it leaks natural shampoo! The clear fragrant liquid that you can squeeze out of the flower is used to soften, clean and add shine to hair and can also be used as a lotion for the skin or a natural lubricant for massages (its not recommended for internal use).

The leaves & stalks of Awapuhi can also be used in cooking as a flavoring element. We recommend wrapping fish in the leaves or adding them to Asian inspired soups. To keep your plants healthy and growing perennially make sure they get lots of moisture during the rainy season and once they go dormant mulch their root ball really well so that they don’t dry out all the way. Plan on adding composted organic matter to your plant in springtime to give it a fertility boost and encourage sprouting.