Black curcuma are native Indonesian plants found primarily in West Java, Central Java, and East Java, the Special Region of Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Bali, North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, West and East Kalimantan, and North and South Sulawesi. Black ginger has been widely cultivated in Indonesia as an herbal medicine. In 2006, the supply of black ginger reached 5,067 tons (Depkes RI, 2010).

Including ginger plants that can be found wild in teak forests, or grasslands, and areas with an altitude of around 400-750 m above sea level.

• The roots are fibrous, and the rhizome is white, with a dark, circular center. It has a distinctive, pungent aroma.

• The pseudostem is moist, soft, and green, composed of clusters of leaf sheaths.

• The leaves are single, ovate, with the main longitudinal veins dark brown.

• The flowers are compound, purplish pink.

• Propagation is done through rhizomes or by separating shoots from the clump.

• Rhizomes: Sow the rhizomes and cover them with 10-15 cm of soil in a shady, moist location. Once shoots appear, cut the rhizomes. Each rhizome should contain 2-3 shoots. Allow to air dry in a shady location for 2 days before planting.

• Offshoots: Separate offshoots by digging up the soil around them and then planting them.

Treats skin diseases, phlegmy coughs, shortness of breath, helps recovery from postpartum, purifies the blood after childbirth, fertilizes the womb, is antirheumatic, antihypertensive and overcomes baldness problems in men.

Flavonoids, saponins, essential oils, tannins, curcumol, curcumenol, isocurcumenol, curzerenone, curdion, curcumalactone, germakron, linderazulene, curcumin, demethyoxykurkumin, bisdemethyoxycurcumin.