Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant whose rhizome,
ginger root or simply ginger, is widely used as a spice or a folk
medicine.
It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about a meter
tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers. Ginger is in
the family Zingiberaceae, to which also belong turmeric (Curcuma
longa), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal. Ginger
originated in the tropical rainforest in Southern Asia. Although
ginger no longer grows wild, it is thought to have originated on
the Indian subcontinent. The ginger plants grown in India show the
largest amount of genetic variation. The larger the number of
genetic variations, the longer the pl ant is thought to have grown
in that region. Ginger was exported to Europe via India in the
first century AD as a result of the lucrative spice trade and was
used extensively by the Romans.
Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger
rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are
often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or cooked as an
ingredient in many dishes. They can be steeped in boiling water to
make ginger tisane, to which honey is often added; sliced orange or
lemon fruit may be added. Ginger can be made into candy, or ginger
wine, which has been made commercially since ***0.
