tumeric flower
[bunga kunyit]
Why would plants produce flowers, when there is no intention of producing seeds?.. As any other plants, tumeric too has to die, not until a lovely flower appears...... ... Reproduction is never through seeds, because there is none!... Reseeding is always done through rhizomes. So the truth behind flowering has to be examined, because it is not always pivoted on producing seeds.
On a romantic level, I would suggest that flowering is a signal about the readiness of a plant to die and not until rhizomes or seeds are ready to carry on the legacy.. Tumeric having flowers possibly allows them to be in the bigger family of plants, that they produce flowers to feed a host of pests, insects, ants and butterflies with their nectar.. Tumeric or Curcuma longa is rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.
On a romantic level, I would suggest that flowering is a signal about the readiness of a plant to die and not until rhizomes or seeds are ready to carry on the legacy.. Tumeric having flowers possibly allows them to be in the bigger family of plants, that they produce flowers to feed a host of pests, insects, ants and butterflies with their nectar.. Tumeric or Curcuma longa is rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.
Kakdah will take a leaf or two of tumeric for her rendang ayam. She will dig out rhizomes and ground them to get the most naturally yellow paste for crispy fried fish! We grow tumeric at several locations and they really love cooler environment. A little bit of shade will help.
The flowers are good salad!!... We have enjoyed lunches with such appetizing salads...., tumeric flowers!..... And I will not venture into describing the taste of tumeric flowers... I am usually speechless whenever I see one! haha.
~bangchik
Putrajaya, Malaysia
How interesting! First of all, I have never seen any pictures of tumeric flowers, and secondly I've never really thought about why plants produce flowers if they don't have to in order to reproduce. Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteInteresting!
ReplyDeleteNice photos :)
Gosh I love cooking with tumeric, the flowers are beautiful too. First time visit here thanks for visiting my site.
ReplyDeleteI just know tumeric flowers can be eaten as salad from your entry. Didn know that before. How's it taste? I think better with belacan and hot chilli..?
ReplyDeleteNak try! Are they sold at the markets? I know daun kunyit put in tunku, is good to remove angin.
ReplyDeleteSo the yellow kunyit use for frying, is that the kunyit root? Leaves or flowers?
Very interesting information. These are great photos as well. Nicely captured.
ReplyDeleteI have used tumeric for cooking, but thought it was a ground seed... very interesting bangchik, great post.
ReplyDeleteI have heard tumeric has some wonderful health effects.
ReplyDeleteI think your wife must be a great cook! You are lucky! She is lucky to have a good gardener for a husband too.
Rosey
interesting...so the turmeric we eat comes from grinding the rhizome?!
ReplyDeleteI always learn something new from your posts! Love the photos of the turmeric flower. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the flower is edible. They use it for salad? Wow that's interesting and now I wonder how's the taste. Those crispy fish... yum yum!
ReplyDeleteFascinating. I have used fresh Turmeric and the dried powder but I have never seen the live plant or flowers before. Now I know what it looks like!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post! I do grow Curcuma, but not very well. I think I have them in too sunny of a location.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic garden you have and how wonderful that you and your wife enjoy it together.
FlowerLady
These tiny flowers are very pretty. They look like bromliad flowers too. I love tumeric especially when used to make fried kunyit chicken or added with rosemary to roast chicken.
ReplyDeleteNice pictures. Turmeric is such a powerful medicine, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post I wonder way back if perhaps they did produce seed and have just changed over the many years to being sterile.
ReplyDeleteThats a gorgeous flower - I don't think I've ever seen turmeric growing, though I use it all the time in cooking.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to see the tumeric plant, I've only seen it ground as a spice.
ReplyDeleteYour descriptions of the reason for the flowering are very well put. I like the flowers of the tumeric, as I've never even seen the plant, just the spice in jars.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to ponder about flowers. Another example is Irises. They too reproduce via rhizomes not seed but they have beautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteThe next thing I must do is to replant the tumeric. Thanks for the tip - grow it in a shady place. Have not seen flowers in mine , yet.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS EVERYONE, FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING COMMENTS.
ReplyDeleteTumeric flower emerges from the base of the plant, so low that if it miss our attention, it is quite understandable....
The taste is very distinctive, almost a combination of torch ginger flower and tumeric leaves. But one really has to taste it, to appreciate the flavour!
Cool, regular watering and rich soil are the conditions tumeric plants love to live in. Of course weather has to be tropical, or simulated tropical weather in the greenhouse.
Lets give tumeric plants a chance, for the rhizomes, leaves and eventual flowers!
~bangchik
Putrajaya Malaysia
Nice post - flower garden pictures ..Keep Posting
ReplyDeleteRon
flower garden pictures
interesting article and once again, great photos
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised when I found two of my tumeric plants had flowers on 1st January 2016. What an exciting way to start the year. New year new life. They are so beautiful. Didn't know they have flowers now I know.
ReplyDeleteDo the flowers have health benefits?