PlantFiles: Turmeric, Indian Saffron
Curcuma longa

I am thinking of growing my own turmeric indoors but know little, if nothing about it. I want to grow it for the root, but I need info own growing and harvesting the root. How may years will it take me to get a harvest? Do I split the rootball and thin it or are there other methods I'm unaware of? Is the whole root ground or milled after harvest? Any help will be appreciated. Also, any special plant care notes will be helpful.

We have a few plants growing in the yard, which were transplanted from our previous place. So far no blooms on these, but they did bloom before....The flower spikes come up almost before the leaves do and are ice pink in color. There is another variety with ice blue blooms which we are trying to get.

We have used it in cooking, but caution must be taken...anything it touches: cutting boards, dishes, blender lids, white rubber spatulas.......stain in a bright saffron yellow

I think this is a beautiful plant-good for low maintanance-and apearance--good to eat too--I enjoy growing mine-light green,upright growth patern-also a nice summer ornamental-dies down in fall and comes back in mid-spring.