My turmeric is flowering

[897tgigvib]

Is that in the same family as Ginger, Zingiberaceae or something like that? At first it looked like a calla type flower, but the inner parts are way different, then I thought Canna, but the outer parts of the flower don't look right for that, then I saw the plant, and it looked similar to a hawaiian ginger my mother used to grow in northern california that she kept alive and propagated from 1961 to 1986, but never did get it to bloom.

 

[hoodat]

The three major spices of Southeast Asia and India are ginger, galangal and turmeric. They are all closely related. There is also a black turmeric root but it is very expensive and not used as a spice. It's use is only medical. There is only one small area in India that it can be grown in. Apparently it is very fussy about the climate and soil where it will grow. The orange roots you usually see are not that hard to grow.
I did some more reading on it and found that botanists suspect it is a sterile hybrid between wild turmeric which grows in the low hills of Asia and Australia and some closely related but unidentified species.

 

[Mackay]

hoodat, do you think that this plant can grow indoors for at least part of the winter? Im zone 3 but I will have a sun room attached to the house when the house is done that probably will not go below 50 or 60 degrees. What do you think?
and if you think it could make it what type of pot should it go in?
something deep like a 5 gallon bucket or something more shallow and broad?

I just found this regarding temperature for planting on an other forum while doing a search on where to purchase it.

"I have to disagree with the statement that turmeric wont grow below 65 degrees F. I live in central Mississippi and I know it lives through 18 degrees F. It disappears, then takes a while to show up again (several weeks after its neighboring ginger). I bought 4 tubers at a health food storeplanted them allAll are well. Patiently hoping for a bloom."

 

[hoodat]

hoodat, do you think that this plant can grow indoors for at least part of the winter? Im zone 3 but I will have a sun room attached to the house when the house is done that probably will not go below 50 or 60 degrees. What do you think?
and if you think it could make it what type of pot should it go in?
something deep like a 5 gallon bucket or something more shallow and broad?

I just found this regarding temperature for planting on an other forum while doing a search on where to purchase it.

"I have to disagree with the statement that turmeric wont grow below 65 degrees F. I live in central Mississippi and I know it lives through 18 degrees F. It disappears, then takes a while to show up again (several weeks after its neighboring ginger). I bought 4 tubers at a health food storeplanted them allAll are well. Patiently hoping for a bloom."

It does quite well in a pot indoors so long as there is good light but needs humidity so watch out for dry heat in the Winter. You will have to harvest the roots and repot it every year since the roots get so big they will crowd the pot.
It will break any thin or brittle pot like clay pots, so don't let it get too crowded.
I noticed yesterday that a new flower stalk is growing on a different part of the clump.

 

[Mackay]

. You will have to harvest the roots and repot it every year since the roots get so big they will crowd the pot.

 

[sweetrabbit]

This is the first time I've seen a turmeric plant as well as its flower. It's so nice. I've always added turmeric powder when I cook curry and some other dishes. I love this spice.

 

[hoodat]

Turmeric tea is also good. You can make it with dried turmeric but the fresh root tastes better. I add the juice of one key lime and some honey. Although the main reason I drink it is medicinal it is also delicious. Just shred about 2 tablespoons of fresh root and pour boiling water over it. Let it steep about 15 minutes, then pour through a tea strainer to remove the pulp.

 

[baymule]

Those flowers are really pretty. The only tumeric I have ever used is dry spice powder and it doesn't have a lot of taste. Is fresh better?

 

[Adambelmont321]

That's an amazing flower , will grow this in my garden too my mom will gonna luv it..

 

[hoodat]

In New Jersey you'll probably have to winter some over in the house or greenhouse. Freezing temperatures will kill it. It's a tropical plant. It can take a light frost but when the ground freezes it's a goner.