False Cardamom Plants

False Cardamom (alpinia nutans) is a beautiful subtropical plant in the ginger family. Also known as shell ginger, it has aromatic leaves that smell and can be used like the cardomom spice, or in place of cloves or bay leaves.

The leaves are delicious in soups, Asian-style curries, stir-fries and rice dishes.

The leaves and flowers can also be used in chai tea or rubbed and added to iced tea. The flowers are beautiful and are edible - in salads and as a garnish on cakes.The leaves can be dried and used in pot pourri.

In Japan, it is used as a food preservative.

The root has been used medicinally, to treat high blood pressure, ulcers, stomach inflammation, intestinal gas, headaches, fevers and flu, and to kill bacteria. It's showing to be anti-cancer, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory.

If growing outdoors (it can also be grown indoors), False Cardamom likes a partly shady position and can handle most soil types. It's pretty hardy, although prefers to be away from a heavy frost and likes a good mulch in a hot summer.