Cardamom: types, culinary uses and growing at home

Green, black and white cardamom, how to cook with it, how to grow the plant at home and how to use cardamom essential oil safely.

In short: Cardamom is the dried pods of the tropical plant Elettaria cardamomum of the ginger family. For a pot of coffee for 2–3 cups, 2–3 crushed pods are enough. At home you can grow the plant as a houseplant with fragrant leaves: it needs 18–25 °C, partial shade, high humidity and at least 15 °C in winter. It flowers and fruits indoors only exceptionally, so you will rather buy the spice.

Latin name	Elettaria cardamomum, Zingiberaceae
Largest producer	Guatemala, with India in second place
Height indoors	0.6–1.5 m, in the wild 2–4 m
Temperature	18–25 °C, in winter not below 15 °C
Seed germination	3–8 weeks at 22–25 °C, irregular
In the kitchen	2–3 pods per pot of coffee or tea for 2–3 cups, more in Arabic coffee; grind the seeds fresh

After saffron and vanilla, cardamom is one of the most expensive spices in the world and at the same time one of the most distinctive. Crushing a single green pod is enough to fill the kitchen with a citrusy, camphoraceous scent. Less well known is that the plant it comes from can be grown even in a Czech flat. It will not fruit there, but the fragrant leaves can be used in rice or tea.

Green, black and white: three different cardamoms

True cardamom is green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), a perennial herb with a rhizome, related to ginger. It comes from the humid mountain forests of southern India, but the largest producer today is Guatemala, which has overtaken India. It is also grown in Sri Lanka. The spice consists of unripe pods harvested by hand and dried; inside each are ten to twenty dark aromatic seeds.

Type	Plant	Flavour and scent	Typical use
Green cardamom	Elettaria cardamomum	citrusy, camphoraceous, sweetly spicy	coffee, chai tea, baked goods, rice, sweet dishes
Black cardamom	Amomum subulatum	smoky, earthy, minty	curries, braised meats, pulses
White cardamom	bleached green cardamom	milder, less aromatic	light baked goods and desserts

Black cardamom is a different plant and does not replace green in recipes. When a recipe says just "cardamom", green is meant.

How much cardamom for coffee, baking and rice

The scent of cardamom is in the seeds and fades quickly. It is best to buy whole pods and grind the seeds just before use; ground cardamom loses its aroma within a few weeks. So grind only as much as you will use straight away.

Coffee and tea: 2–3 crushed pods per pot for 2–3 cups, more in Arabic coffee. The basis of Indian chai tea, together with cinnamon, ginger and clove.
Baked goods: Scandinavian cardamom buns, Christmas biscuits, gingerbread. For 500 g of flour, 1–2 teaspoons of freshly ground seeds are enough.
Savoury dishes: pilaf rice, biryani, curries, marinades. Whole pods are added to boiling rice and removed before serving.
Desserts: rice pudding, pear compotes, ice cream, hot chocolate.

Cardamom is traditionally counted among Christmas spices, and its scent in the home is also covered by the article scent your house with Christmas spices. If you cook Indian cuisine, fresh curry leaves from the curry tree come in handy too.

The cardamom plant as a houseplant

The cardamom plant is an undemanding and pretty plant for the home, with long lance-shaped leaves that smell spicy when touched. It is grown similarly to ginger or turmeric. Bear in mind, however, that it flowers indoors only exceptionally and practically does not form pods. You grow it for the greenery and the fragrant leaves.

Condition	Ideal	Problem when missing
Light	bright diffused, east- or west-facing window	burns the leaves in direct midday sun
Temperature	18–25 °C, in winter min. 15 °C	below 10 °C the leaves turn brown and the plant stops growing
Air humidity	above 50%, misting, a dish of wet clay pebbles	dry brown leaf tips, spider mite
Compost	humus-rich, slightly acidic, free-draining, with perlite	in heavy, wet compost the rhizome rots
Watering	compost always slightly damp, less in winter	drying out and overwatering

From April to September, feed every 2–3 weeks with a weak dose of fertiliser for green plants. Over summer, the cardamom plant can go onto a shady balcony if nights do not fall below 15 °C. You will find tips on winter care of houseplants in the article overwintering houseplants.

Where to get a plant

The surest start is a young plant. Cardamom plants are offered by garden centres and online shops with a range of tropical and spice plants, and occasionally they can be found from growers at plant swaps. A second option is a piece of rhizome from someone who already has the plant. Sowing from seed is the cheapest but least certain.

Cardamom from seed step by step

Seeds from kitchen spice germinate poorly because they are dried and, by the time they reach the shop, are often several months to years old. Ground or years-old cardamom does not germinate at all. You can try with the freshest possible pods, ideally deep green and heavy.

Removing. Pop the seeds out of the pod. With fresh fruit they are coated in a sticky membrane, which you should rinse off; with dried spice, simply pop the seeds out.
Soaking. Soak them for 24 hours in lukewarm water.
Sowing. Sow in seed compost with perlite to a depth of about 5 mm.
Warmth. Keep 22–25 °C, for example on a windowsill above a radiator or on a heating mat, and constant moisture under a lid.
Patience. Germination takes 3–8 weeks and is irregular. Germination of kitchen seeds tends to be low, so sow more of them at once.
Pricking out. Transplant seedlings with 3–4 leaves into pots 9–12 cm in diameter.

Propagation by dividing the rhizome

An adult plant is easiest to propagate by division. In spring when repotting, divide the clump with a sharp knife so that each part has a piece of rhizome with roots and 2–3 shoots, and plant it in its own pot. The procedure is the same as for ginger, described in the article ginger at home and in the garden.

Why the cardamom plant turns brown

Dry air by the heating. The leaves turn brown from the tips. Misting and a dish of water help more than more frequent watering.
Winter on the windowsill. A cold window in January often means below 12 °C at the roots. Put polystyrene under the pot or move it away.
Direct midday sun. On a south-facing window without a screen, pale scorched spots appear on the leaves.
Wet, heavy compost. The rhizome rots and the plant wilts even though it has enough water. Add perlite and water less.

Cardamom essential oil: dilution and who should not breathe it

The essential oil is distilled from the seeds of green cardamom. It smells fresh, spicy and slightly camphoraceous and suits winter and Christmas blends for a diffuser and, at a low dilution, massage oils.

Dilution on the skin: 1–2%, that is 6–12 drops per 30 ml of carrier oil. Never apply it neat.
Diffuser: 3–5 drops, 30–60 minutes with ventilation.
Children: the oil contains a lot of 1,8-cineole. According to the Tisserand and Young handbook (Essential Oil Safety, 2nd edition, 2014), oils rich in 1,8-cineole are not applied to or near the face of children under 10. In a room with a child, diffuse only briefly, 2–3 drops, with ventilation and not by the cot.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: use only after consulting a doctor.
Cats: they cannot break down many substances from essential oils well. Do not apply any oil to their fur or into their bowls. The riskiest are tea tree, peppermint and other mints, eucalyptus, conifers (pine, fir, spruce, juniper, cypress), citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit, bergamot), cinnamon, clove, thyme and oregano, gaultheria (wintergreen), ylang-ylang and pennyroyal. In a flat with a cat, run a diffuser only briefly, in a well-ventilated room and always so that the cat can leave.
Birds and small mammals: do not run a diffuser in a room with them.

Essential oil is not drunk and not added to food. Keep bottles out of the reach of children, and in case of ingestion call the Toxicological Information Centre (224 919 293 or 224 915 402). You will find more about dilution and safety in the article safe use of essential oils.

Frequently asked questions

Can cardamom be grown at home?

Yes, as a houseplant with fragrant leaves. It needs warmth, high air humidity and diffused light. It flowers and forms pods indoors only exceptionally, usually only on plants several years old in a greenhouse.

Do shop-bought cardamom seeds germinate?

Sometimes yes, but germination tends to be low, because the seeds are dried and often old. Use the freshest green pods possible, soak the seeds for 24 hours and keep 22–25 °C. Germination takes 3–8 weeks.

What is the difference between green and black cardamom?

They are two different plants. Green cardamom is delicate and citrusy and suits sweet dishes and coffee. Black cardamom is dried over a fire, has a smoky taste and is used in savoury dishes.

How much cardamom should I put in coffee?

For a pot for 2–3 cups, 2–3 crushed pods or a pinch of freshly ground seeds are enough; Arabic coffee is spiced more strongly. Cardamom can be boiled with the coffee or added to ground coffee before brewing.

How long does cardamom last?

Whole pods in a closed tin away from light keep their aroma for 1–2 years. Ground cardamom loses its scent within a few weeks.

Where does most cardamom come from?

From Guatemala, which is the world's largest producer of green cardamom. India, where the plant originally comes from, is in second place.

What from our range suits cardamom

The recommended products are from our range. We do not yet have culinary cardamom, seeds or young plants in it.

BIO Cardamom – 100% natural essential oil (10 ml) – for winter blends in a diffuser and, diluted to 1–2%, in a massage oil. Because of 1,8-cineole, not near the face of children under 10.
Seed-sowing compost 5 l – for sowing seeds that germinate slowly and need a mould-free compost. It is too poor for an adult plant.
FORESTINA perlite 2–4 mm – mixed into the compost, it protects the cardamom rhizome from waterlogging. It supplies no nutrients itself.

Sources

Updated: 27 September 2026

Author: Jana Vránová, the editorial name of the Pěstík.cz team. She writes about the garden, herbs and essential oils. We take safety and dosage data from specialist literature and official sources, which we cite in every article.