Cardamon is one of the most expensive and unique spices in the world.

Cardamon, also spelled cardamom, is a spice consisting of whole or ground dried fruits, or seeds, of Elettaria cardamomum, a Herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae).

The seeds have a warm, slightly pungent, and highly aromatic flavour somewhat reminiscent of camphor. They are a popular seasoning in South Asian dishes, particularly curries, and in Scandinavian pastries.

Leafy shoots of the cardamom plant arise 1.5 to 6 metres (5 to 20 feet) from the branching rootstock.

Flowering shoots, approximately 1 metre (3 feet) long, may be upright or sprawling; each bears numerous flowers about 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter with greenish petals and a purple-veined white lip. The whole fruit, 0.8 to 1.5 cm, is a green three-sided oval capsule containing 15 to 20 dark, reddish brown to brownish black, hard, angular seeds.
The essential oil occurs in large parenchyma cells underlying the epidermis of the seed coat. The essential oil content varies from 2 to 10 percent; its principal components are cineole and terpinyl acetate.

Most cardamom is cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, and Guatemala. The fruits are picked or clipped from the stems just before maturity, cleansed, and dried in the sun or in a heated curing chamber. After curing and drying, the small stems of the capsules are removed by winnowing.

Grow Notes
Cardamom plants are tropical plants, preferring hot and moist climates. They grow well in humid or very humid subtropical regions. Tolerating a minimum temperature of 15 °C and a maximum temperature of 40°C, but the average temperature of 25°C days are ideal.

Cardamom requires filtered sunlight or partial shade with well-drained, sandy, and loam soils. Never grow cardamom in rich soil consisting of organic matter. They grow naturally in high rainfall areas so they will need good irrigation to keep the soils moist during dry seasons or drought.

Sow
Seeds are fertile and ready to plant now. Each pod has a number of seeds inside, usually between 5 and 15. You will get six pods.

Soak in room temperature water for 12 hours or so.

Carefully separate the outer husk and remove the seeds.

Plant a few Cardamom seeds 3mm deep, in trays of well-draining, sandy potting mix. The warmer and more humid the better, so cover your pot with a zip lock bag or plastic to ensure it keeps moist, or place into a plastic container to make a mini greenhouse with the lid slightly agar to allow air flow.

Dried out soil may equal dead seeds so do not forget to water them, keeping the soil moist but not wet.

Keep indoors and let them grow for a few months so they sprout above the soil. Once large enough transplant the seedlings to a shady place in your yard.

If you intend to leave your plant in a pot, plant your seeds in a large pot directly in a shady place and cover with a plastic cover to increase warmth and humidity, or place in a greenhouse.

It takes about 90 days for plantation to mature enough to take outdoors.

Germination
30- 45 days at 20- 25°C

Maturity
Seed pods can develop after 3 years.