Amomum compactum

Cultivation Details

Round cardamom is a plant of the moist tropics. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the range 23 - 28°c, tolerating daily temperatures from 10 - 35°c. It requires a constant high relative humidity, with a mean annual rainfall of 2,500 - 4,000mm, and at least 136 rainy days^[1].It can be found at elevations from 200 - 1,000 metres, though the greatest yields are obtained at 300 - 500 metres^[1]. Requires a position in partial shade. Grows best in a fertile, moist, humus-rich soil that is well-drained. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.8^[1]. During the first years of growth, flowers produce hardly any fruit^[1]. New inflorescences develop continuously from the 3rd or 4th year and produce fruits that mature 6 - 8 weeks after flowering. Rainfall (or irrigation) promotes flowering, while fruit-set is increased by the presence of pollinating insects^[1]. When mature, the fruit feels firm, the corolla has been shed, and the skin is wrinkled and reddish-purple. Harvesting is carried out by cutting the entire fruit cluster and then removing the individual fruits^[1]. From the 4th year onwards the fruit can be harvested every 35 - 45 days. In Java, for example, four small harvests are possible between January and July (rainy season) and 3 larger ones between August and December (dry season)^[1]. Yields are quite low in the first few years. Dry fruit yield can reach 275 kilos per hectare during the second year, gradually rising to 475 kilos in subsequent years^[1].