Cardamom
Elettaria cardamomum
Cardamom is a clumping, leafy forest plant related to ginger, grown for its aromatic seed pods. It needs shade, warmth, humidity and moist soil, and while pods are hard to get outside the hills, the fragrant leaves are a lovely indoor or patio plant.
Photo: Silar · CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Partial sun, Bright indirect light
Watering
High
Keep the soil moist at all times, but never waterlogged.
Soil
Rich, loose, acidic forest soil with leaf mould; pH 5.0–6.5.
Temperature and humidity
10–32 °C · High humidity
Feeding
Feed monthly in the growing season with compost or a balanced organic fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by division, seed
Remove old, dry stems at the base.
Cardamom pods and leaves are safe.
Top Cultivation Tips
Grow in a large pot in bright shade.
Divide clumps before the monsoon.
Leaves can wrap fish or rice for steaming.
Mist in dry weather.
Common problems
Leaf spot
Fungal or bacterial infections that cause brown, black or purple spots on leaves, often with a yellow halo, leading to early leaf drop.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestThrips
Tiny, slender insects that rasp leaf and flower surfaces, leaving silvery streaks, curled leaves and distorted flowers.
How to treat it →
