Turmeric
Curcuma longa
Medicinal Plants Difficulty: Moderate
📖 About this plant
Turmeric is a golden-colored rhizomatous herb and the source of curcumin, one of the most extensively studied anti-inflammatory compounds in modern herbal medicine. It has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic practice for joint health, digestion, and wound healing.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun to partial shade (4-6 hrs)
💧
Water
Every 2-3 days
💨
Humidity
High (60-80%)
🌡️
Temperature
20-35°C
🪴
Soil
Rich, well-draining loam with high organic matter; pH 5.5-7.0
🧪
Fertilizer
Generous compost or well-rotted manure at planting; balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
हल्दी
BN
Bengali
হলুদ
MR
Marathi
हळद
TE
Telugu
పచ్చి కూరగాయ
TA
Tamil
மஞ்சள்
GU
Gujarati
હળદાર
UR
Urdu
ہلدی
KN
Kannada
ಕಸಿನ ಕೂರುಗಾಯ
OR
Odia
ହଳଦି
ML
Malayalam
മഞ്ഞൾ
PA
Punjabi
ਹੱਲਦ
AS
Assamese
হালদিয়া
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia
- 📏 Max height
- 60-150 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 60-90 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White, Pink, Yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic at culinary doses; extremely high doses may cause GI upset; may interact with blood thinners
- 🌱 Propagation
- Rhizome division — plant pieces with 1-2 buds in spring after soil warms
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic at culinary doses; extremely high doses may cause GI upset; may interact with blood thinners
Common issues
- Rhizome rot from Pythium fungus
- Bacterial wilt
- Leaf spot diseases
- Nematode damage
💡 Care tips
- Grow from rhizomes planted 2 inches deep in rich soil
- Takes 8-10 months to mature for harvest
- Active compound curcumin has powerful anti-inflammatory properties
- Dig up rhizomes in fall when leaves begin to yellow
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 3 days, fertilizing every 18 days.
