Cardamom Plants

Types

• The cardamom plant includes several varieties, each with its own type of pod that has different flavors. These include black cardamom and grains of paradise, and are also called wild or false cardamoms. While potent, they are not usually used as a substitute for traditional cardamom, also called green cardamom. Siam cardamom and round cardamom are closer in flavor and aroma to green cardamom and may be used to replace it if available.

Identification

• The cardamom plant can grow as tall as 12 feet in height. It has slender, pointed leaves that grow in rows along its stalks, and these leaves can be 2 feet long in length. Near the ground, the cardamom will have several greenish-colored pods that each contains approximately 15 brown seeds, which are the cardamom spice.

Uses

• Cardamom is often stored in the pods rather than just sold as seeds because they dry out quickly. These seeds are ground up and used to flavor various foods including pies, breads, cakes and meats. It is also used as an ingredient in curries or to flavor coffee in the Middle East. Because of its strong aroma, it is also used in perfumes and incense. Some cultures use cardamom medicinally to cure asthma and other respiratory illnesses, and in these cases cardamom is either eaten, made into a tea or smoked.

Cardamom Plant Growing Requirements

• Cardamom can be grown in USDA Zones 10 and 11, which are found in the southernmost tips of Florida and California. Other locations are too cold for cardamom to grow, as it needs constant temperatures of over 72 degrees F to thrive. Cardamom also requires constant moisture on the plant's root system and part shade.