Cardamom

These fascinating plants (Elettaria cardamomum) originates in India and we whilst we know them best in this country for the fragrant pods used to add flavour and colour to curries, the leaves themselves are also really fragrant and add a unique flavour to dishes as a herb in their own right.

Cardamom naturally occur in warm, damp but shaded forests so try to ensure they are kept warm and out of direct sunlight in the home. Water regularly when the top of the soil dries and you might try misting occasionally in a very dry room to keep the leaves looking fresh.

They work well as a house plant and the fragrant leaves release a sweet scent when brushed past.

In the summer months your plant will benefit from occasional feeding with any general purpose or tomato feed. They are already in quite large pots and should not need repotting again until next summer at least.

- brown tips to the leaves are quite common in the winter months but extreme browning and crinkling of the new leaves is a sign of either scorch or cold so try to move the your plant somewhere warmer out of direct sunlight. Over time the lower leaves will naturally shrivel and can be removed to keep the plant looking fresh.

. Over time in a warm spot we expect them to produce delicate fronds of flowers which will dry to become the pods we know from cooking. These pods should be picked when green and dried in a warm room