Botanical Name - Curcuma longa
Family - Zingiberaceae
English Names - Turmeric
Turmeric is a popular culinary spice. It grows in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. It is cultivated predominantly in Asian countries, mostly in China and India.
This perennial plant measures up to three feet high and has a short stem. Its oblong palmate leaves grow alternately in rows of two. The roughly segmented rhizomes support the plant. The cylindrical rhizomes come in yellow to orange hues and have a spicy aroma.
Its bulb bears dull yellow flowers that grow in dense spine-like clusters that cover the primary rhizome.
