Curcuma aromatica
Salisbury
Wild turmeric, Yellow zeodary
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Shoots, Rhizomes, Root, Starch
Young shoots are eaten as a vegetable. The rhizome is pounded and used as a substitute for turmeric.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. They need warm, frost-free climates. They need moist, humus-rich, well drained soil. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In Yunnan.
Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India*, Indochina, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam,
How to Identify
A ginger family herb that keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m tall and spreads widely. It has fleshy underground roots or rhizomes. It has cane like false stems and sword shaped leaves. The leaves are pointed and can be 60 cm long. The flowers are on leafy stems. They are in cone like heads. The flowers have 3 petals. There are large coloured bracts around the flowers. The flower stems are 60 cm long and the flowering head is 20 cm long. The lower bracts are pale green and the upper bracts are pink. The flowers are yellow and white.
How to Grow
They can be grown from seed or by division.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Germinates best at temperatures around 20°c. Division of the rhizome when the plant is dormant.
Medicinal Uses
Wild turmeric has rhizomes with a peculiar fragrance and cream color. The rhizomes are often used as a culinary ingredient, and in traditional medicine, for skin disorders and as an antibacterial agent. It is also commonly used in ethnic cosmetic products. As a culinary ingredient it is used in limited quantities as a natural food colour. Leaves are broad and very decorative, elliptic with a leaf stem running as long to the tip of the blade. A fresh stalk with flowers and leaves, cut to proper size and shape, can be used as a floral indoor decoration in vase for up to 10 days.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Curcuma aromatica (common name: wild turmeric) is a member of the genus Curcuma belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. Botanically close to Curcuma australasica, wild turmeric has been widely used as a cosmetic herbal in South Asia and nearby regions. In Tamil and Malayalam, it is known as Kasthuri Manjal (கஸ்துரி மஞ்சள்/കസ്തൂരി മഞ്ഞൾ), and in Telugu, bontha-pasupu (బొంతపసుపు).
Notes
There are about 50 Curcuma species. They are mostly in SE Asia. They are tropical or subtropical.
Names & Synonyms
Banha-ledo, Ban-halud, Bon haldi, Cochin turmeric, Indian arrowroot, Jangli-haldi, Kasturi pasupu, Kasturi-arishina, Kasturi-manjal, Mar-lar-pu, Nangdum, Palua, Ran-halada, Tawn-sanwin, Van haldi, Vana-haridra
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