Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Turmeric, "Curcuma longa", family Zingiberaceae, is a herb with natural antiseptic properties and has many kinds of medicinal uses. Haladi, as it is known in India,  is native to our country. It is a perennial herb with rhizomes. Its leaves are used to impart a very pleasant aroma to Patoli, a kind of sweet, steamed pancake, often made in western India, as a sweet dish. 

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) plant
(with inflorescence)

Patoli, a traditional form of sweet pancake,
wrapped in turmeric leaves and steamed.
(Image credit : Ashwin Baindur)

The spice, Haladi, a yellow powder, that we use extensively in Indian cuisine, is actually an underground modified stem.  In scientific terms this modified stem is called as a rhizome.  This plant is propagated from the growing tips of rhizomes. 

Haladi rhizomes, freshly harvested.

Haladi plants occasionally produce quite attractive inflorescence.

Haladi can easily be grown in a pot. A pot of diameter about 25 cms will serve the purpose. In this pot, only 3 to 4 growing tips of the Haladi should be planted horizontally. After about 4 to 5 months, one can harvest a bounty of freshly grown Haladi leaves and rhizomes. 

The growing tips of Haladi rhizome indicated by arrows.

April end & up to 2nd week of May are best suited for planting Haladi. Planting at other times is unsuitable as the rhizomes are often dormant at that time. Cowdung manure and garden soil should be mixed in equal proportion as a planting medium. After monsoon the Haladi plant starts drying. All upper growth of the plant dries off completely; but the plant rhizome remains alive, in a dormant state.

Mango-ginger or Ambe Halad (Curcuma amada), and, ginger (Zingiber officinale) are related species and can also be grown in the same manner.

Rhizomes of Ambe halad or Curcuma amada
(Image credit : Vicharam, Wikimedia Commons)

Ambe halad or Curcuma amada plant
(Image credit : FRLHT)

Rhizome of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) 

Ginger plant (Image credit :
Obsidian Soul, Wikimedia Commons)