Zingiber officinale
(Ginger)
Chelsey Rodger
Bio 203: University of Wisconsin- La Crosse
Home Is Where The Rhizome Is
Imagine! You are running through the tropical forest and pick up the scent of some unknown spice. What species in the tropics could smell so darn great? None other than the ginger!
The Zingiber officinale is native to Asia, but because of its high production rate it's now grown in tropical regions around the world! It's grown in Africa and South America for commercial use, however 50% of ginger production is in India.
Other organisms that live in this environment include:
Ginger grows best in moist, fertile, well drained soil. In the rainforest, most of the carbon and essential nutrients are locked up in the living vegetation, dead wood, and decaying leaves. As organic material decays, it is recycled so quickly that few nutrients ever reach the soil, leaving it nearly sterile.
Now you maybe asking yourself, how does this plant reproduce? Click here to find out!
