Curcuma or Siamese Tulip - An Elegant Summer-blooming Flower

This luxurious plant is perfect to create an exotic look and a tropical feel to your garden or home with its long stems and elegant pink, purple and white flowers.

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The curcuma can serve as an eye-catching centrepiece in your garden or on the table. I love the little purple and white flower in the bigger Pink flower.

This long blooming tropical plant loves heat and is easy to grow. It is native to India, Malaysia and Thailand (and other tropical parts of the world). The roots of certain cultivars (Turmeric - Curcuma longa) has a strong reputation in the far East and has been used since ancient times in India as a substitute for saffron to add color and flavor to food, and it also has certain health benefits.

There are a 100 species in the Zingiberaceae family. The name comes from the Sanskrit “Kunkuma”, referring to turmeric. It is a perennial shrub and the rhizome is the most used part as it is the integral ingredient of Indian cooking and medicine.

This tropical plant cannot survive frost or freezing temperatures, but they can withstand hot dry conditions when planted in partial shade. They thrive in sunny locations with temperature not below 15 degrees Celsius, heavy compost moist and well-drained soil. Deadhead the faded flowers for better blooms and a cleaner look. The plant goes dormant in winter and sprouts in spring.

Happy Gardening!

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