Cardamom

Cardamom is a tall, clump-forming perennial herb of the ginger family with long leafy shoots, flowering stems that creep along the ground and small, green, three-sided pods filled with black aromatic seeds. It is native to the evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, and the Cardamom Hills of Kerala are among its main growing areas.

The seeds are used. Ayurveda calls it Ela and values it as a fragrant spice traditionally used for digestive comfort and fresh breath. It is a common ingredient in classical formulations, herbal teas and sweets.