What is Kaempferia rotunda? A comprehensive guide
Kaempferia rotunda L., of the order Zingiberales, family Zingiberaceae, genus Kaempferia.
1. Morphological characteristics: Also known as peacock ginger; in Taiwan, China it is also called round-lip fan-wu. It is a perennial herb with a tuberous rhizome. The leaves are elliptic-oblong, 17-27 cm long and 7.5-9.5 cm wide, light green on the surface with dark green markings, dark green along both sides of the veins, and purple on the underside; the petiole is short and grooved. The spike has 4-6 flowers, emerging directly from the rhizome in spring before the leaves, borne among purple-brown bracts 4.5-7 cm long; the corolla tube is equal in length to the sepals, linear, white, spreading flat when in bloom, the lateral staminodes lanceolate, white, upright, the labellum blue-purple, nearly round, deeply 2-cleft to below the middle, beautiful and fragrant. Flowering period April-May.
2. Growth habits: In China, Kaempferia rotunda is produced in southern Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, and Taiwan, China. Abroad, it is distributed from southern to southeastern Asia. It prefers a hot, humid environment with ample sunlight. It favors well-drained, humus-rich, loose sandy loam. The optimum growth temperature is 20-28°C.
3. Propagation and cultivation: Division propagation using rhizomes is generally adopted. When propagating, select plump rhizomes with many buds and store them in sand to overwinter. Take them out for planting in March-April of the following year, break off one-year-old rhizomes, coat the wounds with plant ash, and plant immediately after breaking off. In the Guangzhou area, they can be left in the pot soil to overwinter when the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant, keeping the pot soil slightly moist; divide and replant before sprouting the following spring.
Kaempferia rotunda can be cultivated in the ground or in pots. During cultivation, apply sufficient base fertilizer. Fertilize 2-3 times from spring to autumn, and stop fertilizing in winter.
4. Uses: Because the upper surface of the leaves has beautiful fishbone-like patterns and the leaf undersides are purple, Kaempferia rotunda is a beautiful foliage plant that can be used for planting in shady, damp garden spots or as a potted plant for indoor display; at the same time, because it flowers before leafing out, with many and showy flowers, and its 4 petal-like segments echoing red and white look very elegant, its flowering display is also very good. At present, under artificially controlled cultivation conditions, it can bloom before the Spring Festival.