Ginger: The QUEEN of the Jungle

“GINGER” means so many things to me:

GINGER, the FLOWER

Pink Ginger:

Latin name: Alpina Purpurata

The torch-like Gingers come in red and different shades of pink; from almost white to a dark fuchsia. We make the delicious Ginger Blend Essential Oil from its leaves and stems.

White Ginger:

The highly fragrant white Gingers is used to make the Hawaiian Ginger Lei! it is delicate in looks and fragrance

Kokee’s Kahili Ginger

The fragrant yellow Kahili Ginger looks similar to the white Ginger, but grows much taller and is found mostly in Kokee State park on our island “Kauai”

Blue Ginger

The Blue Ginger is not well suited to ship, since it’s shelf life is short. This is one of the few Hawaiian flowers that are truly blue.

Torch Ginger

We have red and pink Torch Gingers on our farm. They have a striking beauty, are large and impressive. The flowers and leaves grow on separate stems; and interesting phenomenon.

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GINGER, the FRAGRANCE

When we cut and package the pink and red Gingers, it is our noses that get a treat. The Ginger has a subtle sweet smell. We decided to capture this smell and started distilling this precious flower. The result is a sweet, beautiful and highly unique Essential Oil and Hydrosol.

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GINGER, the medicinal SPICE

• Ginger tea, is what we do to speed through the flu
• Ginger is what we chew, against nausea, sea-sickness
• Ginger is what we take, for an upset stomach

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and best of all……

GINGER, our daughter -

she is the most gorgeous of  all Gingers!

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Written by Esti Grinpas on the first day of Summer 2011

Heliconias: The Kings of the Jungle

HELICONIA: the KING of  Tropicals flowers!

• What is special about Heliconias:  Heliconias are some of the largest flowers in the world. They come in sizes from small to ultra-large. One of the largest Heliconias, the Caribea  can have a stem diameter of  3”, and one flower can weigh several pounds.

• Appearance:  There are about 200 varieties of Heliconias. They come in many colors, shapes and sizes; the flower heads ranging from 4“ – 15”. They consist of one or a variety of colors per flower. There are no blue Heliconias! Some Heliconia flowers grow upright, some hang down, some are flat and some twist. Their texture varies from smooth, peach-skin, hairy to waxy.

• Where do they grow? Heliconias are in the same family as bananas and the plant looks very similar. They are very tall plants (up to 20‘ tall) and they grow in the tropics, with all-year warm temperatures and high humidity. Heliconia originally were only found in Central America, but have found warm new homes on almost all continents.

• Shelf life   Most cut Heliconia flowers have a very long shelf life. One of the longest lasting variety, the Caribea can look good up to 5-6 weeks. All the Heliconias sold in gift boxes from Bob’s Tropicals have a shelf life of at least one week or longer.

• Maintenance of cut Heliconia flowers:  Heliconias are very sturdy flowers and only need water. Keep in mind that they grow in the tropics and therefore cannot handle cold. They don’t like air conditioning, and if your place is air-conditioned, make sure the flowers are at distant from the cooling unit.

•  How can I get my own Heliconia:  They only grow in the warmest areas in the US and therefore you might not be able to have your own Heliconia plants in your yard. But you can purchase cut Heliconia flowers directly from the Flower grower and have them sent to your home.  The largest Heliconia farms in the US are in Hawaii. Order your tropical flowers directly from: Bob’s Tropicals in Hawaii for yourself or as a gift for your friends.

- Esti Grinpas, 5/23/2011