Available for curbside pick-up only.

Tree Description: Leafy shoots of the cardamom plant arise 1.5 to 6 metres (5 to 20 feet) from the branching rootstock. Flowering shoots, approximately 1 metre (3 feet) long, may be upright or sprawling; each bears numerous flowers about 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter with greenish petals and a purple-veined white lip.

Scientific Name: Elettaria cardamomum

Common Names: Cardamom, Cardamon, Ceylon Cardamom and Malabar Cardamom.

Family: Zingiberaceae

Relatives: Ginger, turmeric

Origin: India

Distribution/History: Cardamom fruits may be collected from wild plants, native to the moist forests of southern India, but most cardamom is cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, and Guatemala.

Importance: Cardamom flavor: an herbal warmth like a fragrant cross between eucalyptus, mint, and pepper—more citrusy than fennel and sweeter than cumin. Cardamom may help fight bacteria in the mouth, a common cause of bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. A recent study found that cardamom seeds and fruit could help improve oral health due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.