Morning I've just been given a cardamon plant (Elettaria cardamomum). From what I've read the chances of this surviving in my coolish house until warm enough to go out to the greenhouse is pretty low. Does anybody have any experience of growing this. Was not sure whether to post here or in greenhouse or houseplant thread. Nigel
Sorry Nigel I am no help at all but out of interest "googled" it and it looks a very difficult plant. http://www.kew.org/plant-cultures/plants/cardamom_grow_it.html
Especially when you can buy a large bag of seed pods for about 50p. But I suppose I'm completely missing the point there!
Well well I certainly didn't know it was a member of the ginger family.. In that case I would keep it indoors & frost free & the soil fairly dry.. it will probably die back if it gets too cool & not enough light but it should shoot again in the Spring once you start waking it up..
Thank you for the information. I have already warned the donor that it will probably not survive. The Kew page (thanks Pam) is rather discouraging, but this website http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59557/ is a little more hopeful. I hadn't known it was a member of the ginger family either, but will try frost free and dry until spring. Apparently the chap who was selling these was doing a roaring trade in Paignton last weekend. Nigel
It said on that Kew page the pods are harvested before the seeds ripen, so you cannot grow them from cardamon pods.
From the Daves Garden link (about six comments down)...................... "If you bought a plant with a tag that says "Cardamom: Elettaria cardamomum," chances are great that YOU HAVE THE WRONG PLANT! Perhaps the widest misidentification in horticulture, the majority of cardamom plants sold in the US, are, in fact the Cinnomon Ginger, Alpinia nutans. Don't feel bad, I've lived under this misconception for years, giving away numerous starts of mis-tagged plants! The differences are obvious and easy to see: >Alpinia nutans: Glossy, aromatic leaves on 3' or smaller plants. Rarely blooms, but flowers are on the end of a leafy stalk. Easy-going plant. >Elettaria cardamomum: Fuzzy, up to 10' tall plants with flowers on short stalks along the ground. Fairly rare in ornamental cultivation." Read more:http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/59557/#ixzz2o7DM7Ono If you're lucky then you'll have the wrongly identified plant! I did note that it needs ericaceous soil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom This also explains why there are two types of cardamom seeds, green and black.
Morning Thanks longk I had seen that comment and mine has fuzzy leaves, unfortunately. Many years ago, as a hard up student I bought black cardamon as it was cheaper. The first time I used it I found that the flavour was very different. If it grows or even survives then I shall let you all know. Nigel
Hi Nigel J , well this plant is just an hard one, is actually hard to keep as the normal ginger ...i would keep the water to minimal almost dry , but most of all, need more light we don`t have enough light in uk during winter to keep the plant going ...overall will never flowering ........is just one of them plant
Evening After doing some more reading and research I think I have Alpinia nutans (Cinnamon Ginger)rather than Elettaria cardamomum (Cardamon). This significantly increases the odds of it making through to next summer. See for more information http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/123828/ Nigel
