Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Europe, Asia
Types
-
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
230
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-117-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, 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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
Toxic
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
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
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
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
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
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
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
हल्दी
In German
Red Cardinal
Kurkuma
In French
Cardinal rouge
curcuma
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Curcuma longa
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
curcuma
In Polish
Red Cardinal
kurkuma
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fabales
Zingiberales
Family
Fabaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Faboideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
10100
1
27800
👆🏻