Turmeric, the name of an aromatic, perennial herb and also the name of the plant's rootstock (underground stem). The plant, native to India, grows from 24 to 36 inches (60 to 90 cm) high. The leaves are oblong or lance-shaped and grow 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) long and 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) wide. The flowers are pale yellow. The rootstock is used as a spice and is one of the main ingredients of curry powder. It yields a yellow dye used to color foods and cloth; a derivative, curcumin, is used as a chemical indicator to detect the presence of acids or bases.
Turmeric is Curcuma longa of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae.Turmeric root is used as a spice and is one of the main ingredients of curry powder.