Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe

A herb 1-2 m tall. It forms tillers. It keeps growing from year to year. It has long leaves which form a sheath at the bottom. The leaves are 30-60 cm long by 7-8 cm wide. They have red spots along the middle vein. The flowers are yellow in bright red leaf sections. It has a rhizome under the ground which is fleshy and creeping. It branches and produces tubers on it. The starchy finger rhizomes are greyish on the outside and yellow inside. They are 15 cm long and 2.5 cm across.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in hot humid climates. It suits areas with a rainfall of 90-125 cm per year. It grows up to 900 m altitude. It grows in shady places often under betel nut groves. It needs a loamy well cultivated soil. It needs a temperature above 13°C. It suits hardiness zones 8-12. In Yunnan.

The rhizomes are used as a condiment but not popular. They are peeled and finely shredded. The starch is extracted and used. The young tender buds are eaten in salads. The leaves are also eaten cooked with fish.

Plants are grown using parts of the rhizome. Using the main or mother rhizome is best. Germination of the rhizomes is often started in a nursery. They are then planted out at the beginning of the rainy season. They are mostly planted on flat beds which are later mounded. A spacing of 25-45 cm is suitable.