Characteristics and origin of amomum, distribution, recommendations for transplantation and reproduction, problems with cultivation, interesting facts, species. Amomum is a member of the genus of plants belonging to the Ginger family (Zingiberaceae), but it is also close to Alpinia or Cardamom (Elettaria). The genus of the same name includes up to 170 species of representatives of the planet's flora.
Guy Sallust Crispus, who lived approximately in 86-35 BC and at that time was engaged in history, historiography, and many other sciences, as well as some other authors applied the name "amomum" to a wide variety of plant species with spicy properties. Previously, plants belonging to the genus Aframomum were also included in the genus of the same name Amomum. Since representatives of both genera are perennials with a herbaceous form of growth and for their native range they chose Asian territories with a tropical and subtropical climate. Plants have long been known to mankind for their pungent and spicy scent, which closely resembles a cardamom aroma.
If we translate the word "amomum" from Latin, then it will mean - balsamic.
In height, amomum can reach indicators from one meter to three. The plant has a creeping rhizome, and many pseudostems. The root of amomum is located horizontally and long petioles begin to depart from it, which bear whole bundles of sheath leaf plates. The shape of the leaf is usually oblong, the color of the surface is rich green and it is all covered with mottling, the main vein is well defined in the middle.
Peduncles begin to grow directly from the rhizome. They have inflorescences in the form of dense spikelets, brushes or panicles. The plant differs from cardamom in the presence of an appendage, which is located at the top of the anther of its single stamen. This appendage is distinguished by wide outlines in the form of a scallop with lobes, or it can grow undivided. In cardamom, this appendage has the shape of a horn.
After flowering, the fruit ripens, having the shape of a capsule, with an irregular shape. The capsule contains seeds that are very different in taste and aroma depending on the amomum variety. With the help of this plant, you can decorate and plant greenery in cool or moderately warm rooms with good illumination. The plant is not capricious and does not require difficult conditions for its growth. Can even be grown using hydroponic material.
Indoor care tips for Amomum
- Lighting. The plant needs diffused light without direct sunlight - east or west windows.
- Temperature content in the spring-summer period should be within 21-25 degrees, and with the arrival of autumn it should decrease to 16-18, but good lighting is important.
- Air humidity. Spraying with soft water is recommended on hot summer days.
- Watering Amomuma is moderate and regular from spring to early October, and decreases in winter.
- Fertilizers are introduced every 2 weeks organic and mineral alternately. Do not feed in winter.
- Transfer it is carried out in the spring, when the plant is young, and adult specimens are transplanted every 2-3 years. The substrate should consist of turf soil, humus and coarse sand (in a ratio of 4: 2: 1). Can be grown hydroponically, if using ion exchange materials, Amomum also shows excellent growth and flowering.
Reproduction methods of the "balsam plant"
It is possible to get a new bush by planting seeds, dividing the rhizome or using a leaf cuttings.
After harvesting, the seeds are sown in a moistened peat-sandy soil. Close up to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm. The germination temperature is maintained at 21 degrees. It is necessary to regularly ventilate the crops and moisten the soil. When the sprouts have 2-3 leaves, they must be dived into separate pots.
After flowering, the rhizome can be divided. It is dug out of the soil, shaken off the soil. It is necessary to divide so that each division has a growth point and a bunch of foliage. If the length of the leaf is large, then they are cut in half so that the moisture does not evaporate much during rooting. Root shoots are also recommended to be reduced to a length of 5–7 cm. The sections are powdered with crushed activated charcoal or charcoal. The parts are planted in a substrate based on sod, humus and river sand (all parts are equal).
Rooting of leafy cuttings takes place in the spring in moist peat-sandy soil. The cuttings are wrapped in polyethylene or placed under a glass jar. When rooting, the temperature should be within 21 degrees. Regular airing and spraying will be required.
Difficulties in growing amomum
The tips of the leaves can dry out only from low humidity in the room or insufficient moisture in the soil.
Sometimes amomum can be affected by spider mites, but then insecticide treatment will be required.
Types of amomum
- Amomum cardamom (Amomum cardamomum) can be found under the name-synonym for Amomum Siamese or Elattria cordamonnaya (Elettaria cardamomum). The homeland of the area is Indian lands with a subtropical climate. It is a perennial with a horizontal rhizome and a herbaceous form of growth. From the rhizome process, whole bundles of sheath leaf plates depart, which are attached to long petioles. Each such grouping of leaves consists of 3 to 6 units, and they grow one from the other, covering the predecessor with an elongated sheath, like a blanket. The color of the foliage is rich green, with spotting, it is broad-lanceolate in shape, a well-defined main vein appears on the surface. When broken, the leaves give off a cardamom aroma. Used as a green ornamental crop for interior decoration.
- Amomum compact (Amomum compactum Soland) can be found in some sources under the name Cardamom round. Homeland - the territory of Indonesia and he settles there in humid tropical forests. Herbaceous plant with a long life cycle. There is a thick purple-red colored rhizome. The height of the stems varies from one meter to one and a half meter indicators. The leaf plate is practically devoid of petioles, naked, with a shiny surface, having a narrow oval or ovate-lanceolate shape, they can reach 25–40 cm in length with a width of 3, 5–5, 5 cm. The leaf sheaths are also naked, and their ligulate edges are distinguished by rare pubescence. When the leaf is rubbed, a pleasant resinous aroma appears. The growing inflorescence can reach a length of 3–7 cm. Its shape is in the form of a spikelet, cylindrical or conical. It starts growing from the highest point of the rhizome. The leaf plates of the buds are small with a triangular shape in length, varying up to 2–2, 5 cm. The flowers are located in the leaf axils. The bud has a tube-shaped calyx with three teeth and a whitish-pink color. The length of the oval corolla, which has three segments, is the same as the calyx. The petals of the bud are in the shape of spoons, they are painted in snow-white color, yellowish in the center, with a single stamen. Fruit-boxes with spherical outlines ripen, which are easily split into three parts. Each of them grows 7-10 seeds. This variety has been used for a long time in medicine, as a means suitable for stimulating appetite and activating gastric activity.
- Amomum sabulatum (Amomum subulatum), more commonly known as Black cardamon, Nepalese cardamom, Camphor cardamom. In Great Britain it is called Brown cardamom, Larger or greater cardamom, in France it is customary to call it Cardamom noir, in Germany the plant is called Schwarzer cardamon, and the burning Italians and Spaniards called it Cardamome nero or Cardamome negro, respectively. In his native India - Aingri upakunchika, Kali elaichi, Badhi elaichi, Bigilaichi. Most often, this type of amomum is found in mountainous regions from the Himalayas to southern China. The plant has its name from the Latin word "subulatum", which means "awl" - this is how people interpreted the appearance of leaf plates. Fruits are large-sized boxes with brown color. They contain multiple seeds, with a glossy surface with sizes ranging from 2 to 5 cm per fruit. By smell, they give off smoked meats, with an admixture of haze or camphor oil - this is due to the fact that the fruits of black cardamom are usually dried over an open fire. Most often, the seeds of the plant are used as a spice, as well as to reduce heat or cooling, and are the oldest Asian spices; it is almost impossible to find them on the territory of Russia.
- Herbaceous Amomum (Amomum gramentum). It was first described by Danish-British botanist Nathaniel Wallich in 1892. In the literature it is found under the name Cardamomum gramineum.
- Shaggy Amomum (Amomum villosum or Amomum eshinospaerum) or Shaggy Cardamom. The native habitat is in Southeast Asia and southern China. There the plant is called Sha-Ren (Spa Ren). Cultivated like cardamom for its fruit, which grows as pods and contains a large amount of aromatic oils. Used extensively in Chinese medicine to relieve stomach pain and to treat dysentery. They are spicy to taste, giving warmth. Herbaceous perennial, which in height can approach three meters. It is very similar to Muscat. The rhizome is located horizontally and the vaginal leaf plates of elongated lanceolate outlines originate from it. Their length varies between 35-40 cm. If you rub them, you immediately hear a cardamom smell. Inflorescences are formed on an elongated flowering stem and are collected in spike-shaped conical or cylindrical inflorescences. The corolla of each flower is distinguished by the presence of three segments. The sha-ren fruit is characterized by a very strong fresh and menthol flavor, with sweet-sour and at the same time bitter coniferous notes. It is a rounded box divided into 8 parts. It is covered with a dark brown amniotic membrane (pericarp), along which stripes are drawn along the surface of the capsule. The seeds that grow inside the fruit are covered with hairs (shaggy, hence the name of the variety) and have an oval shape; they peel off without much effort after the fruit is ripe. The capsule, when fully ripe, reaches a length of 7 cm.
- Amomum narrow (Amomum angustifolium). The island of Madagascar is considered the native growing area. The plant is most commonly found in swampy forest areas and is used to make spices from seeds.
- Amomum granular garden (Amomum granum-paradisi). It is found under the synonym of Paradise grains or Melegvetsky pepper. The plant is also distributed mainly in African lands. The seeds are usually used in alcoholic beverages, to enhance the effect of alcohol, and they can also successfully replace camphor.
- Aromatic Amomum (Amomum aromaticum) he can call the lands of Indochina his native places. It is an analogue of cardamom and is also actively used in medicine.
- Amomum Melegueta Roscoe reaches a height of one to two meters. The leaf plates are narrow-lanceolate and whitish with long cuttings. The flowers of this variety have a pale purple lip and a sickle-shaped appendage on the anther with 4 lobes. When the fruit ripens, a bottle-shaped box is formed, up to 10 cm long and 4 cm thick. Seeds are formed in the fruit, measuring 0.3 cm in thickness. They are surrounded by a colorless sour-tasting gruel. The shape of the seed is rounded, with blunt ribs, which have a glossy surface and brown color. The entire seed plane has a shagreen, like warty skin. The seeds have a pungent and rather pungent aroma, which is similar to that of pepper. It is also customary to cultivate and use the seeds of the plant as a condiment. The homeland of growth is the lands of the African continent.
Interesting facts about Amomum
Most often, some types of amomum are used in cooking, medicine and alcoholic beverage production. The seed material of these varieties differs among themselves in aroma and taste. They can successfully replace camphor and enhance the effects of alcohol in beverages.
Amomum seeds are actively used in veterinary medicine, and in the areas of their natural growth (African tropics) they are a spice. Amonimum shaggy has long been used by Chinese healers because of its wide range of actions. Most often, seeds are used for problems with the gastrointestinal tract. If you go to a pharmacy located in China, you can buy shaggy amomum in the form of pods, seeds, or in a ground state. The taste of the seeds is spicy and warm; according to Ayurveda, they help to preserve the fire of digestion (the so-called Agni). Therefore, when using seed material, the digestive tract is stimulated, hiccups, vomiting and diarrhea, flatulence disappear, and breath is refreshed and appetite improves.
Chinese herbalists recommended dried fruits of the sharen for toxicosis and frequent vomiting in pregnant women, hypertonicity of the uterus, which was an indicator of a threat of miscarriage or impending premature birth.
The seeds of amomum furry were taken by those who were engaged in spiritual practices, since they were a product of sattva - that is, the Huns, which is an essence in Eastern philosophy.
Amomum sabulatum or Black cardamom was used in cooking. Its boxes are sold whole, they have a pleasant smoky and camphor smell. It is used for cooking dishes with prolonged heat treatment. This plant is especially popular in the cuisine of northern India, where seeds are combined with almonds and saffron. He also found his use in the aromatization of sausages and a variety of drinks. In France, amomum seeds are added to liqueurs, but in India they make a pleasant cooling drink from sour milk. In the lands of China, it is customary to add black cardamom seeds to tea, baked goods and desserts. In Germany, the seeds of this plant are often used for baking Lubkyuchen gingerbread and Easter cakes, flavored with candied fruits, almonds and honey.
Black cardamom can easily disinfect poisons and toxins that a person has taken, both with food, and those that accumulate or are formed in the body. Used as an anthelmintic.
But there are also contraindications for the use of amomum sabulatum - this is an ulcer, and it must be taken with great care by pregnant women or in case of individual intolerance to the drug.
If you believe the ancient records, then this plant was a favorite of the legendary Queen Semiramis and grew in large numbers in her gardens. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that there were no diseases that could not be cured by black cardamom, and the Chinese still claim that the plant bestows wisdom.
How amomum is grown in India, see this video:
