Herb

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

"হলুদ (Holud)"

Quick Facts

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

Herb

Family

Zingiberaceae

Growing Area

Cultivated throughout Bangladesh; main commercial growing areas in Comilla, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Netrokona and Sylhet

Habitat

Well-drained fertile soil in humid tropical conditions; cultivated in fields, homestead gardens and mixed crop systems

Propagation

Rhizome sections

Planting Time

April–May (before monsoon)

Harvesting Time

December–February (8–10 months after planting)

Use Value

Indispensable spice in Bangladeshi cooking — used in virtually every savoury dish. Rhizomes dried and ground to produce yellow powder. Medicinal uses: anti-inflammatory, antiseptic. Used in cosmetics (face packs) and religious ceremonies.

Bloom Months

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About

Curcuma longa, turmeric (holud in Bengali), is the golden spice at the heart of Bangladeshi cuisine. No curry, dal or savoury dish in Bangladesh is cooked without turmeric. The plant is a perennial herb 60–90 cm tall with large, lanceolate leaves emerging directly from the rhizome. Pale yellow-white flowers appear in a spike inflorescence during monsoon. The underground rhizomes are the commercially harvested part — bright orange inside, they are boiled, dried and ground into the characteristic golden powder. Turmeric's active compound curcumin has been extensively studied for anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an important ingredient in bridal beauty rituals (gaye holud ceremony) in Bangladesh. Source: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric) 📷 Image: Simon A. Eugster, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons — FREE to use with attribution. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curcuma_longa_roots.jpg

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Data Attribution & Acknowledgments

Photographs (12 images)

Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

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