Common Name: Greater Cardamom

General Information

Greater cardamom is a perennial plant producing leafy stems up to 1.5 metres tall from a creeping rhizome.
The fruits are harvested from the wild for use as a food and a medicine. The plant is sometimes cultivated, especially in India and Nepal[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sikkim, Myanmar to western China.

Habitat

Dense forests at elevations of 300 - 1,300 metres in southwestern China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The seeds are sometimes used as an inexpensive substitute for cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)[]. They have a distinctly camphorous or eucalyptus-like flavour[]. The seeds are one of the ingredients of char masala, a spice mixture widely used in Afghan cuisine[]. The seeds are used in the preparation of sweets and for flavouring beverages[].

The whole, dark-brown pods are crushed and added to rice pilaffs[].

Medicinal

The seed and its essential oil have medicinal uses[].

Other Uses

The fruit contains 1.5% essential oils[]. The oil contains cineol[].

Propagation

Seed -

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