Turmeric

Curcuma longa

Rhizomatous perennial of the ginger family. The bright orange rhizomes carry curcumin — one of the most studied anti-inflammatory plant compounds.

Hardiness ratings

Turmeric hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 8–12 −12.2 °C to 15.6 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H4 −10 °C to −5 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 8–9 −7 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 4–7 0 °C and warmer Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Needs 8–10 months of warm humid growing season to develop usable rhizomes
  • Dies back to dormant rhizomes in dry or cool weather; harvest at this point
  • Curcumin has known interactions with anticoagulants and diabetes medications
  • Always consult a qualified medical or herbal practitioner before using any plant medicinally

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Turmeric against your zones

Reference

Turmeric on Wikipedia