Red Ginger or Awapuhi

Description:

The Awapuhi or Red Ginger grows to about 7 feet tall. It has long narrow leaves arranged oppositely from each other along the stem. In the summer, different stalks grow with green cone-shaped bracts that are like pinecones. The green cone turns red over a couple of weeks, and then small yellow flowers grow on the cone. This plant is somewhat known as the pinecone ginger, but is mostly known as the shampoo ginger for the shampoo like liquid substance in the cones.

Habitat:

This Awapuhi was found in Kaneohe, Hawaii near Kaneohe Elementary School. It is commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas.

Notes:

The Awapuhi is an amazing plant that grows quickly. It is a landscape plant. Also, the cone-shaped flowers are long lasting. This plant is known to give off "shampoo" or a liquid substance found in the cones. As a matter of fact, it is used as shampoo in Asia and Hawaii, and also is an ingredient in many commercial shampoos.