Great winged amomum, Java cardamom
Amomum maximum

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. The plant grows 2-3 m tall. It has a thick underground stem or rhizome. The leaf stalk can either not exist or be up to 8 cm long. The leaf blade is oblong and 30-90 cm long by 10-20 cm wide. It is bright green on top. Underneath is has a white covering. The flower spikes are almost round and 5 cm across. The bracts are brownish and 2-2.5 cm long. They are hairy but fall off. The flower is pale with purple spots. The fruit is a capsule which is purple-green and oval. It is 2.5-3 cm long by 1.8-2.4 cm across. It has 9 wings and fine white hairs. The seeds are oval and 5 mm long by 3 mm wide.

There are about 150 Amomum species. They are mostly tropical. It is used in medicine.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in shady forests and on hill slopes between 600-800 m altitude in S. China. It is usually in forests on moist humus rich soils. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andamans, Asia, Bangladesh, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Thailand, Tibet

How it is used for food

The fresh fruit are eaten raw. They are also used as a spice. They are used in chutney. They are also cooked or candied. The young shoots and young flowers are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are cooked with rice. The rhizomes are eaten in chutney.

It is a cultivated food plant. It is sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, fruit - spice, vegetable, flowers, tuber/rhizome, roots

How it is grown

It can be grown using tips of the rhizomes that have roots. It can also be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Aidu, Aigeju, Aihere tel, Aihre bua, Chang gui sha ren, Ge bo di, Guogu, Hanggasa, Jiu chi dou kou, Kapulaga jawa, Leribu, Ma guo, Melao, Mieqie, Mi jie, Reivii, Resah, Sa jia hong bi

Synonyms

Amomum dealbatum Roxb.; Cardamomum dealbatum (Roxb.) Kuntze; Cardamomum maximum (Roxb.) Kuntze;