Temu tis
Curcuma purpurascens
Family: Zingiberaceae
What it is like
A ginger family herb. It grows 60 cm tall. The rhizomes are pale yellow and have an aroma. The leaves are broadly sword shaped with a purple colour along the mid vein. The flowers are in dense spikes 20 cm long. These are cylinder shaped on a stalk from the base. The flowers are tube shaped and 3 cm long. They are white with a yellow centre.
There are about 50 Curcuma species. They are mostly in SE Asia.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows in teak forest up to 200 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Indonesia (country/location of origin), SE Asia
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Rhizome
How it is grown
Plants can be grown by division of the rhizome.
Its other names
Local names
Koneng pinggang, Kunir tinggang, Temu tis