These colorful blooms are tropical stunners.
Anzhela Shvab/Getty Images
Curcumais a genus of plantsnative to tropical regionsof Asia.
You’ll know curcuma, which belongs to the ginger family Zingiberaceae, by their eye-catching cone-like flower spikes.
Credit:Anzhela Shvab/Getty Images
Tiny yellow or white flowers emerge from the colorful bracts on these cones.
Some are called hidden cone gingers and have flower spikes hidden under the foliage.
These highly ornamental plants include wild turmeric and Siam tulip plants.
Curcuma bloom in summer or sometimes fall, depending on the variety and the length of your growing season.
Curcuma bulbs are planted in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
Gardeners in the Lower South also can plant manyCurcumaspecies and enjoy their tropical flavor in the garden.
Depending on your climate, grow curcuma as an annual summer plant or as a tender perennial.
The plants emerge late, with warm temperatures and lots of moisture.
Curcuma prefers to stay drier in the winter while dormant.
Some species like to receive hours of morning sun, while others prefer light shade.
Adding organic matter before planting will help achieve a loamy texture and enrich the soil.
Curcuma prefers slightly acidic soil.
Water any time the top inch of soil is dry, fully saturating the soil.
Reduce watering during dormancy in the winter and early spring.
In warmer areas like Florida, curcuma emerges in spring.
Curcuma grows and flowers best in warm, humid growing conditions with ample rainfall.
Plants go dormant in cool, dry weather and the foliage will not survive past the first frost.
Fertilizer
Use a 20-20-20 soluble fertilizer after the shoots emerge in spring.
Curcuma requires a lot of nutrients, so monthly fertilizing in the spring and summer will help encourage growth.
Types of Curcuma
Pruning
Prune in the fallafter the foliage dies.
Deadheading flowers is optional but can be done to improve appearance.
Curcuma grows and blossoms even if you choose not to deadhead flowers.
Propagating Curcuma
Propagating curcuma is possible through dividing rhizomes.
Curcuma’s large rhizomes fill containers quickly, requiring division every two or three years.
In the garden, dividing every three to five years will enhance the plants' vigor.
Dig up roots in the fall at the end of the bloom season.
At the cooler end of curcuma’s range, rhizomes should be planted at least 4 inches deep.
In a mildclimate like Florida, you’ve got the option to plant them 2 inches deep.
Potting And Repotting Curcuma
Curcuma is easy to grow in containers for your summer garden.
Curcuma requires a wide container to make space for its rhizomes and may outgrow it quickly.
Use well-draining potting mix that includes plenty of organic matter.
Cover with 2 inches of potting mix and water well.
Sprouts take as long as eight weeks to appear.
Potted curcuma requires more frequent watering, often daily during hot weather.
Once the plant goes dormant, you might remove the rhizomes and store them for replanting the next year.
To store rhizomes over the winter, dig up dormant plants and cut off stems with pruners.
Brush off dirt and allow them to dry overnight.
Or, peel off the skins, dry the rhizomes, and grind into a powder.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Root rot can occur in overly wet soil.
The most noticeable symptom is browning and death of leaves at the top of the plant.
Infected rhizomes have brown flesh with white specks.
Bacterial wilt shows up when soil temperatures rise, causing rapid wilting and then yellowing of leaves.
The disease eventually plugs the stems, so plants must be removed and discarded.
Leaf blotch and leaf spots can also happen when temperatures are high or leaves are overwatered.
Prune and dispose of infected leaves.
Young leaves are also susceptible to slugs and snails.
Some species may start blooming later than others, and cool weather may delay it.
Keeping curcuma in moist, well-draining soil helps increase the length of its bloom season.
Even in summer, dry soil can cause the plants to go dormant.
Dividing plants when they are too small may delay blooming by a year.
Curcuma is a heavy feeder, so try fertilizing if you are not seeing flower spikes well into summer.
Common Problems With Curcuma
Curcuma primarily experiences fungi and disease when the water balance is not maintained.
Curcuma must have consistent moisture during the growing season when planted in full sun.
Increase watering or move it to a location that protects the plant from afternoon sun.
It also is used medicinally and as a natural yellow dye.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric (Cucurma longa).
It is a bright yellow compound produced in the plant’s rhizomes.
