Skip to content

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) — Sikkim and eastern Himalaya Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) — Sikkim and eastern Himalaya

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.), called "Badi Elaichi" or "Heel" in trade, is a perennial herbaceous rhizomatous spice native to the sub-Himalayan tract of Sikkim, Darjeeling (West Bengal), Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. India is the largest producer, and over 88% of the national crop comes from Sikkim, where it is cultivated under Alnus nepalensis (Nepalese alder) shade between 600 and 2,000 m elevation. ICAR-National Research Centre for Orchids has its Large Cardamom regional station at Pakyong, Sikkim.

Key characteristics

  • Botanical name: Amomum subulatum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae)
  • Trade name: large cardamom, badi elaichi, "kali elaichi", heel
  • Altitude range: 600-2,000 m AMSL
  • Shade tree: Alnus nepalensis (utis); rainfall 2,000-3,500 mm/year
  • Capsule colour: dark brown to brick-red, trilocular, with rough wrinkled pericarp
  • Essential oil: ~2.5-3.5% in dry capsule; major compound 1,8-cineole (~70%)
  • National share: India produces ~50% of world output; Sikkim contributes 88% of Indian output

Cultivars

The Spices Board / ICAR-NRC have recognised six principal cultivars based on plant stature and capsule shape:

  • Ramsey — tall (up to 3 m), red-coloured pseudostems; suited to higher elevations (1,200-2,000 m)
  • Sawney — tall, green pseudostems; high-elevation type
  • Golsey — short (1.0-1.5 m), bold capsule; suited to lower elevations (600-1,200 m)
  • Varlangey — tall, productive; mid-altitudes
  • Bharlangey — bold cardamom, suited to mid-altitudes
  • Seremna — selection from Sikkim, higher yields

Released improved cultivars include ICRI Sikkim 1, ICRI Sikkim 2 and ICRI Sikkim 3 (Indian Cardamom Research Institute, Spices Board).

Cultivation

Propagation is through sucker (rhizome) division, taking one mother tiller plus one immature shoot. Spacing 1.5 × 1.5 m on slopes; 1,500-2,000 clumps/ha at maturity. Planting before the monsoon in May-June. Recommended NPK is 60:40:75 kg/ha/year with 10 t/ha FYM. Each clump yields commercially from the third year and remains productive for 15-20 years before replanting.

Post-harvest

Capsules are harvested October-December when fully mature. Traditional curing uses a "Bhatti" kiln (direct smoke drying), which is being replaced by an improved Spices Board "improved Bhatti" reducing smokiness and benzopyrene levels. Fresh-to-dry ratio is approximately 3:1. Cured capsules are graded by size and colour.

Pests and diseases

The principal disease is "chirkey" virus and "foorkey" (a phytoplasma) which together can devastate plantations; rhizome rot (Pythium) and leaf streak (Pestalotiopsis) also occur. The main pest is leaf-eating caterpillar (Artona chorista) and stem borer.

See also: Cardamom Small, Cardamom Njallani Green Gold, Cardamom Curing Grading, Cardamom Leaf Blight, Cardamom Shade Management.

References

  1. ICAR-NRC Large Cardamom, Pakyong, Sikkim. https://nrclc.icar.gov.in/
  2. Spices Board India - Large cardamom. https://www.indianspices.com/spice-catalog/cardamom-large