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Tropical Zone Gardening: More Tropical Herbs & Spice!, 1 by Metrosideros

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In reply to: More Tropical Herbs & Spice!

Forum: Tropical Zone Gardening

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Metrosideros wrote:
Here is true Cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum. It has stems that will get to about 12 ft. long with leaves that reach 3 ft. Flowers are produced at the bottom of the plant, followed by the seed capsules which contain the spice.

I had previously thought I was growing Cardamom, which I purchased from a local nursery, only to eventually find out that it was False Cardamom, Alpinia nutans.
The leaves smell just like real Cardamom, but when it flowered at the top of the plant, rather than the bottom, I knew something was wrong!

I know that the below plant is true Cardamom, as I got the plant from an existing Cardamom patch.