Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Epiphyte
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Europe, Asia
Types
-
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-137-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Type of Soil
-
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
-
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
हल्दी
In German
Clamshell Orchid
Kurkuma
In French
Clamshell Orchid
curcuma
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
Curcuma longa
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
curcuma
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
kurkuma
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Zingiberales
Family
Orchidaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Epidendreae
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
50100
1
27800
👆🏻