Family: Zingiberaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Curcuma zedoaria, commonly known as rose turmeric or white turmeric, is a tropical plant in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) native to South and Southeast Asia. It grows from underground rhizomes and produces lush, lance-shaped green leaves that can form an attractive clump about 3–4 feet tall. Its striking flower spikes emerge from the base or between the leaves, featuring showy pink to purplish bracts that make it popular as an ornamental in tropical landscapes and container gardens. The aromatic rhizomes have a long history of use in traditional medicine and as a spice or flavoring, though they are more bitter than common turmeric. In Hawaiʻi, rose turmeric is primarily grown for its bold foliage and colorful, ginger-like blooms.

Risks, Threats & Management
Rose turmeric is considered low risk in Hawaiʻi. While it spreads slowly by underground rhizomes, it is not known to aggressively invade natural areas. Plants typically remain where they are planted and are easily managed by dividing or removing rhizomes if they spread beyond intended garden spaces. As with many ornamentals, proper disposal of garden waste—especially rhizome fragments—helps prevent unintended establishment. With responsible planting and maintenance, rose turmeric can be enjoyed as a striking ornamental without posing significant ecological concerns.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in India, SE Asia, USA
  
• Highly suited to tropical/subtropical climates
  
• Repeatedly introduced by humans
  
• Reproduces vegetatively via rhizomes; forms clonal colonies
  
• Tolerates cutting, cultivation, regrowth
  
• Wide soil pH tolerance (acidic to alkaline)
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Host for pests and pathogens (leaf spot, rhizome rot, borers, nematodes)

Low Risk Traits:

• Not a significant agricultural, forestry, or environmental weed
  
• Rarely flowers; no viable seed production
  
• No seed bank
  
• No wind, water, or external dispersal mechanisms
  
• No spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Non-toxic to humans and animals
  
• Not a fire hazard
  
• Does not form dense thickets