Rainbow curcuma
Curcuma aurantiaca

Family: Zingiberaceae

What it is like

A ginger family herb. It grows 1.5 m tall. It has small rhizomes and no false stems. The rhizomes are white inside and have an aroma. There are 2-5 leaves and they are oblong to sword shaped. The flowers are in dense heads on a stalk from the base. The flowers are tube shaped and yellow. The fruit is an oval capsule. The seeds are shiny and light brown.

There are about 50 Curcuma species. They are mostly in SE Asia.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in teak forests and grassy fields up to 700 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from division of the rhizome.

Its other names

Local names

Temu blobo

Synonyms

Curcuma ecalcarata Sivar. & Balach.;