Shampoo-la-la!

If you’re worried about the next apocalypse/pandemic, I’ve got a great plant to add to your home garden - shampoo ginger! The leaves are soft and could double as toilet paper in a pinch (I guess - not speaking from experience here) and when you squeeze the flowers they exude a soapy substance that can be used as shampoo! I haven’t tried washing my hair with it but it does indeed leave your hands quite clean if you’re too far from the hose.

Zingiber zerumbet is a ginger that is originally native to India and South East Asia, but was spread by the Polynesians across the Pacific. In addition to being used in several commercial shampoos (particularly in Hawaii), the roots are also historically used medicinally for everything from flatulence to leprosy. They’re eaten in Malaysia too, and (reputedly) taste similar to ginger, but a lot more bitter (so that would be a hard pass from me thanks! Blurgh).

Shampoo ginger will go dormant in winter, even in the warmest climates, but will return with gusto in spring, sending up lush green spikes, just over 1m tall, with slender leaves alternating either side - much the same as normal edible ginger. Flowers emerge from the base, initially green and then ripening into a beautiful red. The flower cones that you see are actually the bracts, the real flowers poke out between them but are a bit of a non-event. They are soft and squishy and release the famed soapy liquid when you squish them. If you’re gentle, the flower isn’t damaged and you can squish again with glee tomorrow!

Even if you don’t need a TP backup and are quite content washing your hair with Decoré, shampoo ginger makes a beautiful hardy addition to any tropical garden and a fun talking point!