09-23-2009, 03:41 AM
The topic of Shampoo Ginger was brought up and I wanted to also mention Tumeric or Olena. This very useful plant, is the yellow spice component in Indian curry powders.
Hawaiians called this plant Olena, and used it for medicine, Kapa dying and for spiritual cleansing. It was brought to Hawaii on voyaging canoes.
There are several varieties growing here in the islands. One variety that I cultivate, I would find near old sugar cane plantation camps out in Hamakua is Curcuma australasica, which has large, beautiful pink toned flowering bracts every spring. The rhisomes are resemble edible ginger (bluish tint) as opposed to Hawaiian olena, Curcuma domestica, which have rhisomes that are orange to yellow in color, and Olena has white flower bracts. I have heard of up to six varieties here in the islands.