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Herbaceous PerennialConservatory GreenhouseHerbs - Culinary

Curcuma longa

common turmeric

An upright tropical, herbaceous perennial producing stems to 1m (39in) high which grow from underground fleshy rhizomes. The leaves are alternate and appear in opposite rows along the stem. They are thin and oblong to lance-shaped, with pointed tips and are dark green above and light green below. Yellow to white tubular flowers appear in a cupped rosette bracts at the end of the flowering stem. The plant has been cultivated for thousands of years for the spice turmeric which is derived from the rhizome. As a result it has become totally domesticated over time and unable to set fruit, meaning that its reproduction can only be achieved vegetatively from dividing its rhizomes.

Other common names

turmeric

Synonyms

Curcuma domestica

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1A

Botanical details

Family: Zingiberaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: A genus of herbaceous perennial plants, some of which have edible rhizomes used to produce turmeric and curcumin. The foliage is long, dark green and lush and sometimes plants produce tall spikes of angula flowers in shades of pink, purple or white
Name status: Unresolved
Plant range: India, Malaysia

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a well-drained but moisture retentive soil, rich in organic matter and in indirect, bright light and in a warm conservatory, greenhouse or window indoors, in temperatures no lower than 18°C (65°F)

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Houseplants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required. Remove old, yellowed stems as necessary

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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