Ginger
Zingiber officinale
Botanical family: Zingiberaceae
Zingiber officinale, native to Southeast Asia, grown for 5000+ years, one of the oldest spices in world trade. An aromatic, spicy, pungent rhizome (gingerols). Uses: fresh or dried spice, infusion (digestion, nausea); see the caveat below for what the research does, and does not, say. Listed in the European Pharmacopoeia.
Partial shade
Rich, humus-rich, cool and well-drained
Regular once growth has started; little before, as the rhizome rots in cold, wet soil
Frost-tender (tropical; overwinter the rhizomes frost-free, grown in a pot)
Frost-tender in your zone
Role in permaculture
A rhizomatous tropical perennial, in mainland France, grown in a pot (brought indoors in winter, T > 15 °C). Planting from an organic rhizome bought in a shop (let it sprout 1-2 weeks at 25 °C, moist soil). Harvest 8-10 months after planting.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
A tropical plant grown in a pot or under glass: the rhizome is planted in spring and lifted in autumn when the stems yellow; used fresh, or dried afterwards.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « Zingiber officinale » (rhs.org.uk/plants/19233/zingiber-officinale/details)
- University of Illinois Extension, « How to grow tropical ginger for at-home spice » (extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/how-grow-tropical-ginger-home-spice)
- Plants For A Future, « Zingiber officinale » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Zingiber+officinale)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
At a high dose or in concentrated form, caution in case of anticoagulant treatment (a slight antiplatelet effect). During pregnancy, seek medical advice before any use. Ginger does not replace the advice of a doctor, pharmacist, or botanist. Sources: European Pharmacopoeia, Zingiberis rhizoma; ESCOP, Zingiberis rhizoma monograph.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find ginger in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Confucius (Kongzi), reported by his disciples · China, State of Lu, 6th–5th century BC
In the Analects (Lunyu), book X, 'Xiang dang', devoted to Confucius's ritual habits, reports only that 'he did not do without ginger': he always kept some at his table, but ate it in moderation. That is the only fact attested by the text. The virtues often tied to it, aiding digestion, clearing the mind, belong to interpretations of later commentators, absent from the original record.
Confucius, Entretiens (Lunyu 論語), livre X « Xiang dang » 鄉黨, section 8 : « 不撤薑食 ». Compilation des VIe–Ve siècles av. J.-C. ; texte chinois : Chinese Text Project (ctext.org).
The canonical record describes a use at table, not a remedy: the text formulates no health claim, and to credit it with one would be to confuse the attested fact with the late glosses. The record is cited here as a cultural and historical landmark, without making it proof of efficacy or a medical precept.
Keep in mind
The Cochrane review by Matthews et al. (2014), which concerns pregnancy, says nothing about motion sickness and sets NO dose: do not make it say more.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, humus-rich, cool and well-drained.