perennial⛅ part shade💧💧💧 high waterZone 10a – Zone 12b
Cardamom is a tropical perennial spice plant cultivated for its aromatic seed pods used in cooking and traditional medicine. It thrives in warm, humid forest understory conditions and produces small pale flowers followed by green capsules containing fragrant seeds.
Overview
Form
Upright
Growth Rate
slow
Size
6–10′ tall × 3–5′ wide
Dormancy
evergreen
Tolerances & Soil
Zone 10aZone 12b
1471013
ColderWarmer
Zone range: Zone 10a to Zone 12b
Seasonality
Bloom Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Harvest Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Season of Interest
SpringSummer
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
mid successional
Native Range
Southern India (Western Ghats)
Function & Care
medicinaledible
Edible Parts
seedpod
Establishment & Care
Establishment
challenging
Maintenance
high
Years to Bearing
3 years
Propagation
seed, division
Notable Cultivars
Elettaria cardamomum var. cardamomum (Malabar or Kerala cardamom) is the most commercially cultivated, prized for its larger pods and superior flavor; Elettaria cardamomum var. wynadensis (Mysore cardamom) has smaller, more intensely flavored seeds.
