What Is Turmeric? Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a flowering plant in the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. The part we use in cooking is the rhizome โ€” an underground stem that looks similar to ginger root but with a distinctly bright orange-yellow interior.

Understanding the Context

The Straits Times: Root Awakening: Ginger is a species of Curcuma and papaya plant is infested with pests From the features, the plant is a ginger from the genus Curcuma, which the common turmeric belongs to. The leaves of the plant have a central red stripe and, locally, there are two species โ€“ Curcuma ... Root Awakening: Ginger is a species of Curcuma and papaya plant is infested with pests The ginger family (zingiberaceae) comprises more than 1300 different varieties of flowering plants with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes. Gingers occur throughout tropical Africa, Asia and the ...

Key Insights

Turmeric is a bright yellow spice that is derived from the underground stems, or rhizomes, of the Curcuma longa plant. The plant is part of the ginger family and is grown in warm climates around the world. Curcuma is a stately and elegant summer-blooming flower that's a lot easier to grow than it looks! This heat-loving, long-blooming tropical plant produces gorgeous spires of pink, purple, or white flowers all summer long. The Daily Telegraph: Get to know your gingers and how to grow them