Description
Turmeric, Haldi Plant, Curcuma longa Plant
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) /ˈtɜrmərɪk/ is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native in southeast India, and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C (68 °F and 86 °F) and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season.
When not used fresh, the rhizomes are boiled for about 30–45 minutes and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in Indian cuisine and even curries, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. One active ingredient in it is curcumin. It has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell. Curcumin may treat: cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, allergies, arthritis and other chronic illnesses.
Planting and care
- Turmeric is a rhizomatous herb, native to tropical South Asia.
- Turmeric is a very important spice in India, which produces nearly the whole world’s crop and uses 80% of it.
- The plant grows to a height of 3to5 ft. It has oblong, pointed leaves and bears funnel-shaped
- yellow flowers, peeping out of large bracts. The rhizome is the portion of the plant used medicinally
- Turmeric powder is used extensively in South Asian cuisine. Curry of fresh turmeric, referred to as haldi ki Sabji, is a dish from Rajasthan (India).
- Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes.
Sunlight | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
Watering | Keep soil moist throughout the growing season |
Soil | Well-drained |
Temperature | 60 to 100 degrees C |
Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
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