68 Turmeric Curcuma longa Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical Tamil Nadu, in southeast India, and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C (68 °F and 86 °F) and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season. It is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. Tamil traditional medicine, called Siddha, has recommended turmeric in food for its potential medicinal value, which is a topic of active research. Its use as a coloring agent is not of primary value in South Asian cuisine. 42394 Turmeric 68.jpg image/jpeg 105964 2012-04-20T09:37:49Z 74 Herbs and Spices Spices Type 1 2011-02-09T00:37:18Z 2019-05-14T18:04:15Z false specific 136217 true FOOD00068