Malawi: African Wild Ginger

African Wild Ginger aka Siphonochilus aethiopicus is native to Southern and Eastern Africa, including Malawi, and thrives in shaded, moist environments like woodlands, riverbanks, and forest edges. It had super bright magenta or pink flowers growing directly from underground rhizomes, with no prominent above-ground stems or leaves when flowering. African wild ginger has been used traditionally for centuries in African herbal medicine to colds, flu, asthma, and bronchitis, as well as indigestion, nausea, and upset stomach. It’s also used as an antidote for venomous bites (and most likely for anything else as it often happens in Africa – from infidelity to pregnancy to penis enlargement to winning a lottery).