Ginger Lily oil

Common Name:  Ginger Lily oil

Botanical Name:  Hedychium Spicatum

Other Names:  Ginger Lily, Kajili ginger, Gingerlily, Hedychium, Kapoor Kachri

Introduction

‘Ginger lily’ is a persistent beautiful plant that spreads to a height of up to 120 to 180 cm. It is a small and hardy ginger with green leaves up to 30cm long or even more. The ginger lily flowers are large and very beautiful found in orange and white color. They have a weighty sweet scent and can grow in all conditions and weathers from full sun to clean shades. Many species of ginger lily are grown as decorative plants. The Ginger lily plant is native to tropical Asia and the Himalayan Mountains.

Ginger Lily is also known as ‘takhellei’ in Manipuri (India). One of the species, ‘white ginger lily (Hedychium coronarium)’ is the national flower of Cuba. It is recognized as ‘Flor de Mariposa plant’ in Cuba. It is commonly said that “a farmer’s house is not complete without a white ginger in his garden”. ‘Hedychium’ is very common in many parts of Brazil, where it is considered an aggressive weed.

Uses of Ginger Lily oil

Aromatherapy: The use of Ginger oil in aromatherapy is not much reported. However it is used as massage oil for treating inflammations.

Medicinal uses

• Ginger lily oil is a vasodilator, digestive and stomachic in nature.
• This oil is used in treating vomiting, diminished appetite, nausea, halitosis, hiccups and local inflammation.
• The rootstock of ginger lily is carminative, ‘emmenagogue’, stimulant, tonic, expectorant and stomachic.
• The oil is used in treating asthma and interior injuries.
• The oil and the rhizomes (roots) are powdered and used as an antiseptic agent and as a poultice for various aches and pains in the body.
• Ginger lily oil is also helpful in treating liver problems, food indigestion and poor blood circulation due to clotting of the blood.
• The rootstalk of this plant is used in treating bronchitis and easing pain.