Ginger Bush - Tetradenia riparia
Ginger Bush - Tetradenia riparia

Common names: ginger bush, misty plume bush (English); iboza, ibozane (Zulu); gemmerbos (Afrikaans). 
Botanical name: Tetradenia riparia

Tetradenia riparia, commonly known as ginger bush, is a tall, aromatic shrub that produces a spectacular show of white to lilac flowers in winter, when most other plants are dormant. The flowers attract insects and moths, which in turn bring insect-feeding birds to the garden. The Zulu people use the plant for various medicinal purposes, such as relieving chest complaints, stomachache and malaria. The plant is easy to grow in light, well-drained and well-composted soil, and prefers water in summer but not as much in winter. It can be propagated from cuttings or seeds and should be pruned back hard after flowering.

Uses & Benefits: aromatic, culinary herb, hedge, medicine, pot plant

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Nature & Cultivation

Family: Lamiaceae
Type: shrub
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Flower colour: mauve, pink, white
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Plant-animal interactions: birds
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Use as Medicine

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