The Cardamom Plant Explained

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), often called the “queen of spices”, is a shade-loving, clump-forming perennial herb of the ginger family that is native to the Western Ghats of southern India and is grown for its aromatic green seed pods. Known as elaichi in Hindi, elakkai in Tamil and elam in Malayalam, true or small cardamom is cultivated mainly in the hills of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while a related species, large cardamom, is grown in Sikkim and the wider Northeast.

Cardamom flavours Indian tea, sweets, rice dishes and spice blends, and it is one of the most valuable spices in the world by weight. This explainer, last updated 23 October 2026, covers the botany, cultivation, harvesting, types, uses and trade of the cardamom plant in India.

Key Takeaways

• Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, whose dried green pods are a major Indian spice.
• Small green cardamom grows naturally in the shady, humid forests of the Western Ghats, and Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the main Indian growing states.
• Large cardamom, or badi elaichi, is a different species (Amomum subulatum) with big dark pods, and Sikkim is its leading Indian source.
• Cardamom plants usually begin to give pods in their second or third year, and the pods are picked by hand every few weeks through the harvest season.
• Cardamom is often described as the third most expensive spice by weight after saffron and vanilla, mainly because of its labour-intensive cultivation and curing.
• Cardamom is used in chai, sweets, biryani and paan, and in traditional Indian medicine as a digestive and breath freshener, though strong health claims are not proven.

What is the cardamom plant?

The cardamom plant is a leafy, reed-like perennial herb that grows from an underground rhizome and produces tall, leafy shoots up to several metres high. The shoots carry long, lance-shaped, glossy leaves that smell sweet when crushed, and a cluster of shoots forms a clump that widens over the years.

The flower stalks of cardamom do not rise from the top of the leafy shoots. They emerge from the base of the plant and trail along the ground in long, arching or creeping panicles, which is quite unlike most other spice plants. Each stalk carries many small white flowers marked with violet or purple lines on the lip, and the flowers open a few at a time over weeks.

Bees pollinate the flowers, and after pollination each flower develops into a small, oval, green capsule. Inside the capsule are three chambers packed with tiny, sticky, dark-brown to black seeds with a strong, sweet, resinous fragrance.

Where does cardamom grow in India?

Cardamom grows in India mainly in the hill forests of the Western Ghats in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, at altitudes of roughly 600 to 1,500 metres. The Cardamom Hills, also known as the Elamalai range, in Idukki district of Kerala are the best-known growing area in the country.

Idukki and Wayanad in Kerala, Kodagu, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka, and the Nilgiris and nearby hills in Tamil Nadu all grow cardamom. Guatemala, in Central America, is also a very large producer, and it competes with India in world markets.

The plant needs cool, humid conditions, heavy and well-distributed rainfall of roughly 1,500 millimetres or more a year, a temperature of about 10 to 35 degrees Celsius and protection from strong sun and wind. It grows best under a canopy of tall forest trees that give filtered shade, and many Indian plantations retain native forest trees for this reason.

How is cardamom cultivated?

Cardamom is cultivated by planting nursery-raised seedlings or divided rhizome clumps under shade trees in well-drained forest loam, and it takes about two to three years to start bearing. Nurseries raise seedlings from seed or from healthy suckers, and fields are cleared of dense undergrowth while keeping the tree canopy.

Key practices

• Shade: About 50 to 60 percent shade from forest trees or planted shade species is typical.
• Soil: Deep, humus-rich, well-drained forest loam with a slightly acidic reaction.
• Planting: Seedlings planted in pits at the start of the monsoon.
• Trashing: Dried leaves and old shoots are removed once or twice a year to improve air flow and reduce pests.
• Irrigation: Light irrigation in the dry months where rainfall is poor.
• Pollination: Bees, including managed hives in some plantations, support fruit set.

Popular cultivars

Cultivars are grouped into Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka types, which differ in plant height, panicle form and capsule size. Farmers have also developed their own selections, such as Njallani Green Gold from Idukki, and research stations release improved lines with higher yield and disease tolerance.

How is cardamom harvested and processed?

Cardamom is harvested by hand-picking the mature but unsplit green capsules at intervals of about three to four weeks, and the pods are then dried in controlled warm air so that they keep their green colour and aroma. The harvest season runs roughly from August to January depending on the region, with several rounds of picking.

1. Capsules are picked when they are fully developed but before they turn yellow and split.
2. Pods are washed and sometimes soaked in a mild solution to retain colour.
3. Drying is done in curing chambers or electric and fuel-fired dryers at about 45 to 50 degrees Celsius for many hours.
4. Dried pods are rubbed to remove stalks and bleached or polished lightly.
5. Pods are graded by size, colour and bulk density and packed in airtight bags.

Careful curing is the main step that keeps the green colour, because sun drying alone fades the pods to a pale straw colour. Larger, deeper green pods usually command higher prices, and trade names such as Alleppey Green and Coorg or Mysore cardamom describe origin and style.

What is the difference between small and large cardamom?

Small cardamom, or green cardamom, is Elettaria cardamomum with small, pale-green pods and a sweet, floral, eucalyptus-like aroma, while large cardamom, or badi elaichi, is Amomum subulatum with big, dark, wrinkled pods and a smoky, camphor-like flavour. They belong to different genera in the ginger family and are used differently in the kitchen.

How is cardamom used?

Cardamom is used in India as a flavouring in tea, milk sweets, rice dishes, spice blends and paan, and as a traditional digestive and mouth freshener. A crushed pod can perfume a whole pot of chai or a dish of kheer, and a few seeds are often chewed after a meal.

• Beverages: Masala chai, kahwa and spiced milk; cardamom coffee is traditional in Arab countries that import much Indian cardamom.
• Sweets: Kheer, halwa, laddu, gulab jamun syrup, payasam and shrikhand.
• Savoury dishes: Biryani, pulao and korma, where the whole pods perfume the rice.
• Spice blends: Garam masala and many regional masalas.
• Mouth freshener: Used whole or as seeds in paan and mukhwas.
• Traditional medicine: Used in Ayurveda for digestion, nausea and as a flavouring agent in many formulations.

Modern studies have looked at cardamom’s possible effects on blood pressure, digestion and inflammation, but the evidence is early and limited. As a spice in normal food amounts it is considered safe for most people. Anyone with gallstones should ask a doctor before taking large amounts, since cardamom is sometimes advised against in that case.

Who buys India’s cardamom, and how is it sold?

India’s cardamom is sold mainly through licensed auction centres in Kerala, where farmers and dealers trade graded lots, and a large share is consumed within India. The main auction centres are in Idukki district, at places such as Puttady and Vandanmedu, where electronic auctions are held regularly under the supervision of the Spices Board India.

India is one of the largest consumers of cardamom in the world as well as one of its producers, and small-scale growers dominate production. Exports go to the Middle East, where cardamom is central to coffee culture, and to other countries that use it in food and fragrance. Production varies year to year with the monsoon, so prices can move sharply.

The Spices Board India registers growers, runs quality programmes and supports research. The Indian Cardamom Research Institute at Myladumpara in Idukki, a regional centre of the Spices Board, works on varieties, cultivation and pest management.

What problems affect cardamom farming?

Cardamom farming is affected by viral diseases, fungal rots, pests, drought and rainfall variability, with katte or mosaic disease and capsule rot among the best known. The crop depends on a stable forest climate, so climate change is a serious concern for the hill farmers who grow it.

• Katte (mosaic) disease: A viral disease spread by aphids that stunts plants and reduces yield.
• Clump rot and capsule rot: Fungal diseases that thrive in prolonged wet weather.
• Thrips and borers: Insects that scar capsules and lower quality.
• Drought and rain irregularity: Dry spells and untimely rain disrupt flowering and fruit set.
• Labour cost: Frequent hand-picking and curing are labour intensive.

Farmers manage these problems with disease-free planting material, shade regulation, timely trashing, bio-control agents, and research-backed varieties.

Bottom Line

Cardamom is a shade-loving ginger-family plant native to the forests of the Western Ghats, and its green pods are one of India’s most prized spices. Understanding the difference between small and large cardamom, and the labour and climate behind each pod, explains why the queen of spices commands such a high price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is cardamom called the queen of spices?

Cardamom is called the queen of spices because of its sweet, intense aroma, its high price and its long use in Indian food and medicine. Black pepper is called the king of spices, and the two are often paired in this description. The title also reflects the difficulty of growing and curing cardamom.

Which Indian state is the largest producer of cardamom?

Kerala is the largest producer of small (green) cardamom in India, with Idukki district as its core. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the other main producing states. For large cardamom, Sikkim is the leading state.

How long does a cardamom plant take to fruit?

A cardamom plant usually begins to give pods in the second or third year after planting and reaches full yield in about the fourth to fifth year. Healthy plantations can remain productive for many years if they are well managed. Yield depends heavily on rainfall, shade and disease control.

What is the difference between green and black cardamom?

Green cardamom is Elettaria cardamomum with small, pale pods and a sweet, floral aroma, while black cardamom is Amomum subulatum with large, dark, smoky pods. Green cardamom suits tea and sweets, and black cardamom is used mainly in savoury dishes and biryani. They are different species grown in different regions.

Can cardamom be grown at home in India?

Cardamom can be grown in a large pot or garden in warm, humid, shaded places in South India, but it is difficult in dry or cold regions. The plant needs filtered shade, steady moisture and well-drained, humus-rich soil. Home plants may give only a few pods, so it is mostly grown as an ornamental and kitchen curiosity.

Is cardamom good for health?

Cardamom is traditionally used to aid digestion and freshen breath, and it is safe as a food spice for most people. Early studies suggest it may have antioxidant and other effects, but strong health claims are not proven. People with gallstones or those taking medicines should ask a doctor before using large amounts.

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