Ginger

Botanical name: Zingiber officinale
Native origin: Southeast Asia
Part Used In Our Teas: Root (Rhizome)

Ginger is a tall, stalky, tropical plant that grows up to 4 feet tall, with small red and yellow flowers. The antler-like, edible portion of ginger is referred to as a “root,” but in fact is a fleshy underground storage stem known as a rhizome. Ginger is loved and used widely around the world for the spicy, peppery bite and intense flavor it adds to cuisine. Ginger is famed for its ability to tame motion sickness, and is traditionally used to ease unhappy stomachs and soothe digestive upset.

Did you know? Ginger is one of nature’s unsolved mysteries. Unlike nearly all other plants species, which appear in the wild, ginger is 100% cultivated on farms. Its country of origin cannot be verified (although the biological variability of ginger plants in Southeast Asia makes that its likely home).

Some of our favorite ginger comes from Fair Trade Certified small organic farms that are part of a Sri Lankan co-op formed in 2009.