Cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum
Also listed as Amomum cardamomum, Alpinia cardamomum
Also known as Green Cardamom, True Cardamom, Cardamon
Climate Match for your location
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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.
Why grow it
Cardamom offers higher pod yields and more concentrated seed flavor than related Aframomum species under similar conditions, though it requires more consistent warmth and humidity than many kitchen-garden alternatives. For tropical and subtropical permaculture systems, it provides a perennial spice crop suited to shaded forest edges, with minimal pest pressure compared to annual herb crops in most regions.
Watch out for
Cardamom is slow to establish and may take three to four years before substantial harvests, so patient site selection matters more than with faster-producing understory plants. In marginally warm climates, inconsistent flowering can occur if winter temperatures dip below the plant's preferred range, and high humidity without good air circulation invites fungal issues in poorly drained soils.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
Native Range
Southern India (Western Ghats)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
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.
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
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.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Cardamom grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Cardamom offers higher pod yields and more concentrated seed flavor than related Aframomum species under similar conditions, though it requires more consistent warmth and humidity than many kitchen-garden alternatives. For tropical and subtropical permaculture systems, it provides a perennial spice crop suited to shaded forest edges, with minimal pest pressure compared to annual herb crops in most regions.
Watch out for
Cardamom is slow to establish and may take three to four years before substantial harvests, so patient site selection matters more than with faster-producing understory plants. In marginally warm climates, inconsistent flowering can occur if winter temperatures dip below the plant's preferred range, and high humidity without good air circulation invites fungal issues in poorly drained soils.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Zingiberaceae
Native Range
Southern India (Western Ghats)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Similar herbs you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Plants well with
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.