Plant – Awapuhi

ʻAwapuhi

Description: Herbs with many leafy shoots that reaches heights up to two meters. Single upright stem with a bundle of leaf shoots at the top. Color of the leaves blend from red to dark green.

ʻōlelo mua (Introduction):

Inoa(Name):

  • Scientific – Zingiber zerumbet
  • Hawaiian – ‘Awapuhi
  • English – Shampoo Ginger

ʻOhana: Part of Zingiberaceae family

Kūlana olakino(Status): Polynesian Introduction

Lāʻau lapaʻau(Medicinal Use):

  • Used as a compress that can be applied to sore spots, bruises or cuts.

  • Help with headaches, toothache, ringworm and other skin diseases, achy joints or sprains, and stomach aches.

  • Ashes from burnt leaves and mixed with other plants can be used as a remedy for cuts and bruised skin.

Ways it was Used:

  • Sometimes used on kuahu or hula altars

  • Can be transformed into fragrance in shampoos.

  • The powdered rhizome of plant is used for scenting kapa

  • The leaves used to flavor meat

Kino lau(Many Forms taken by Supernatural body): None

Awapuhi