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Black Galingale

Kaempferia parviflora

Black Galingale
Photo: Herbslive, CC BY-SA 4.0

Black Galingale (Kaempferia parviflora) is a low, rhizomatous herb from the ginger family, native to Thailand and neighbouring Indo-China, grown for its tuberous roots and ornamental foliage. It needs warm, humid, shaded conditions and a free-draining but moist soil.

Family
Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Part shade, Bright indirect
Water
Keep soil evenly moist during the growing season and reduce watering when the foliage dies back.
Soil
Rich, humus-heavy, well-drained mix with leaf mould or peat.
Temperature
20–30 °C; protect below 15 °C
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not toxic to cats or dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
SE. Bangladesh to Indo-China
Climate
wet tropical

About

Kaempferia parviflora, the Thai black ginger, Thai ginseng or krachai dum, is an herbaceous plant in the family Zingiberaceae, native to Thailand. Kaempferia parviflora has been the subject of increased scientific interest in recent years. In a systematic review in 2016, 683 records and 7 studies were analyzed, with a reference that krachai dum significantly increased hand grip strength and enhanced the response to sexual erotic stimuli. An earlier study found that acute dosing did not have an effect on sprint and endurance exercise in humans, but indicated that chronic effects or actions in other populations cannot be excluded. A study from 2007 found that the ethanolic extract but not the volatile oil of Kaempferia parviflora had antiallergic properties.

Other Kaempferia plants

Kaempferia elegans · Galanga · Kaempferia

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Kaempferia parviflora by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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