Abstract Etlingera elatior are large ginger plants growing in clumps. Rhizomes are stout, strongly aromatic and found just below ground level. Crushed leaves emit a pleasant sour fragrance which is distinctive of the species. Leaves are entirely green with young leaves sometimes flushed pink. Inflorescences, borne on erect stalks protruding from the ground, are large and attractive with showy bracts. Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, E. elatior is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia. The species is used as food, condiment, medicine, and ornament. The current knowledge on the phytochemistry of leaves, inflorescences, and rhizomes of E. elatior is reviewed. Some insights on the pharmacological properties of the species are discussed. They include antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, tyrosinase inhibition, cytotoxic, and hepatoprotective activities.