Common Name:

General Information

Curcuma australasica is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a cluster of leaves 30 - 80cm tall on a pseudostem that grows from an underground rhizome[, ].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is grown as an ornamental, valued for its floral display and ornamental leaves.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - eastern Indonesia to New Guinea and northern Australia.

Habitat

Edges of rainforest, in Eucalypt forest, vine forest and in woodland at elevations up to 550 metres in Queensland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the seasonal tropics, where there is a distinct dry season. It can usually tolerate the occasional light frost[].
Plants in this genus generaly prefer a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade[].
The plant usually flowers as the plant emerges from dormancy and before the leaves are produced[].

Edible Uses

Rhizome - cooked[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe[]. Germinates best at temperatures around 20°c[].
Division of the rhizome when the plant is dormant.

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