Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom)
Aframomum corrorima
A cardamom cousin that grows in coffee-forest shade; its pods spice berbere and coffee.
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: part shade
Size: about 5 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Harvest: September to November
From: Ethiopian forests
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Native to: African savannas & tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.
The story
Korarima grows wild in the moist forests of southwest Ethiopia, often under the same canopy as wild coffee. Its smoky, aromatic seeds are a key spice in berbere and mitmita, and a pod is sometimes dropped into coffee.
Planting
Part shade under taller trees, in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Plant pieces of rhizome at the start of the rains.
Growing
Keep mulched and moist, as on a forest floor. Clumps spread slowly and can be divided every few years.
Harvest and use
Pods ripen red near the ground in autumn. Dry them in the shade and grind the seeds as needed.
What to watch for
Too much sun scorches the leaves; long dry spells stop it fruiting.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home