Despite not being very common, you can also eat the leaves and some parts of the stems of ginger plants. Similarly to potato, the ginger plant (that, from the outside it does appear as a common plant with some pretty flowers) develops thick roots that, for centuries, are harvested and used mainly as a spice in our plates. These are actually the roots of the ginger herb. Remember that when I mention ginger, I mean that yellow ( sometimes pink or blue) pale orange that comes in a variety of interesting shapes that you find at the supermarket. However, these kinds of medicines require an expert for safe use, so I would avoid them altogether. Although this plant has a long history of medicinal use (in a small amount), the same can be said for most poisonous plants. These kinds of poisons, despite not being fatal, can cause serious kidney damage and other chronic diseases.Īlthough wild ginger is not sold in stores, it is sometimes sold as a medicinal herb. All members of this family will contain a toxin called aristolochic acid. So, here is the important part: wild ginger is poisonous. “Wild ginger”, also known as Asarum, is fairly common in North America and even more in Asia, but its name is not appropriate.Īll true gingers are classified in the family Zingiberaceae, but the wild gingers belong to another family of plants called Aristolochiaceae.
The Problem Of Wild GingerĪlthough true ginger is not poisonous, there is a wild plant that can be dangerously confusing. That’s just one example of why you should probably stick with ginger types that have been cultivated for eating. It won’t poison you, but it does have a bitter taste that many people do not like. Some of these strains are cultivated for their ornamental value, as their flowers can be quite lovely.įor example, most people seem to agree that shampoo ginger (zingiber zerumbet) is not a good one for eating. However, some varieties of the plant are not intended for culinary use.
Upon searching, we cannot find any cases in which a person was poisoned by ginger. On the surface, all species of the ginger plant appear to be edible.
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