Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a perennial plant in the family Zingiberaceae. Ginger is native to India and China. It takes its name from the Sanskrit word stringa-vera, which means “with a body like a horn”, as in antlers.

Ginger is the underground rhizome of the ginger plant with a firm, striated texture. The flesh of the ginger rhizome can be yellow, white or red in color, depending upon the variety. It is covered with a brownish skin that may either be thick or thin, depending upon whether the plant was harvested when it was mature or young.
Although often called “ginger root” it is actually a rhizome.

It is available in various forms, the most common of which are as follows:

1) Whole raw roots are generally referred to as Fresh Ginger. The rhizome has a pale yellow interior and a skin varying in
     colour from brown to off-white.
2) Dried roots are sold either ‘black’ with the root skin left on, or ‘white’ with the skin peeled off. The dried root or the Dry      Ginger is available whole or sliced.

Fresh ginger root is available year round.