Amomum sericeum

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. It grows 1-3 m tall. The leaf stalk is 4-8 cm long. The leaves are sword shaped and 50-65 cm long by 7-15 cm wide. There are silvery hairs underneath. The spike is almost round and 4-5 cm across. The flowers are white. The fruit is a pale brown capsule 2.5 cm long by 2 cm wide. It is 3-5 angled.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in wet places in dense forests between 600-1,200 m above sea level in southern China. It grows in Yunnan in China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, Himalayas, India, Laos, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The seeds are added to foods as a spice.

Edible parts

Seeds - spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Hpala

Synonyms

Amomum dealbatum var. sericeum (Roxb.) Baker; Cardamomum sericeum (Roxb.) Kuntze;