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Turmeric
Habit (mature) · Andikan Efiok Eduok / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
A tropical rhizomatous herbaceous perennial in the ginger family, grown the world over for the thick branched rhizomes that — boiled, dried, and ground — become the bright yellow-orange spice. The foliage clump rises 3-4 feet in canna-like, pleated, lanceolate-to-elliptic green leaves up to 40 inches long, topped in summer by short dense spikes of pale yellow flowers among pinkish bracts. The flowers are sterile, so the plant is propagated entirely from rhizome division.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: narrow (31/100)
Edible
Structure
Container
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
36-48" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
8a-11b
cold to nearly frost-free winters
Summer heat range
Hot-Extreme
hot to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder lists Curcuma longa as winter hardy to USDA Zones 8-11, 3-4 feet tall and wide, full sun to part shade, water medium to wet, blooming pale yellow July to August; native range India and Malaysia.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Won't grow here
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Won't grow here
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Out of range today and still out of range in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/turmeric
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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