Cardamom variety · Botanical type
Mysore Type
Also known as Erect panicle type
Karnataka, Kodagu region (Western Ghats) · Natural germplasm · Pre-1970s
Panicles erect, bold dark green ovoid capsules. Robust tall plants (3–4 m); excellent for higher elevations with moderate shade.
Key facts
| Type | Botanical type |
|---|---|
| Origin | Karnataka, Kodagu region (Western Ghats) |
| Breeder / source | Natural germplasm |
| Year released | Pre-1970s |
| Parentage | Indigenous selection |
| Yield | 200–400 kg dry/ha |
| Tolerance | Prefers 900–1200 m altitude; drought-tolerant relative to Malabar |
| Distinctive features | Erect panicles, ovoid bold dark green capsules, tall stature |
| Grown in | Karnataka (Kodagu), Tamil Nadu (Pulney, Dindigul), high-altitude zones |
| Also known as | Erect panicle type |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Mysore Type in detail
Mysore Type cardamom stands out for its upright flower stems and bold, dark ovoid pods—a robust, tall-growing variety suited to the cooler, wetter slopes of Kodagu around 900–1,200 m elevation, where the moisture and humus-rich forest soil it favours are found.
Origin & story
Pre-1970s natural germplasm from Kodagu district, Karnataka, in the Western Ghats. Modern Mysore-type clonal selections (e.g. ICRI-2) are now available for cultivation.
How it grows
Mysore Type grows well between roughly 900–1,200 m elevation with assured, well-distributed rainfall. It favours moderate forest shade of about 50–60% in acidic loam soils rich in humus (pH around 5.5–6.5). Plants reach 3–4 m in height. Planting is typically done from around June onward with the monsoon, under existing forest or alongside shade trees.
Quality & character
Robust plants with erect panicles (flower stems growing vertically). Capsules are bold, dark green, and ovoid—larger than Malabar-type pods. For the Malabar, Mysore, Vazhukka and Guatemala types, essential oil content has been reported in the region of 7.9–8.8%. The aroma is warm and spicy, shaped mainly by α-terpinyl acetate (warm-sweet, camphoraceous) and 1,8-cineole (clean, cool, medicinal lift), giving a spicy-sweet, highly aromatic profile.
Why it matters to buyers
Mysore cardamom is valued for its larger pod size and bold aroma in both domestic and export markets. The variety is traditionally associated with Kodagu and the Western Ghats. Growers note the larger pods can affect overall yield density compared with more compact varieties, and the type prefers high-rainfall locations.
About cardamom
In Kerala's rolling spice gardens, cardamom isn't just one plant—it's three distinct botanical types, each with its own character. The Malabar type, with flowers drooping down like a skirt, thrives in the softer elevations of 600–1200 metres. Mysore stands tall and erect, reaching its best between 900–1200 metres on the wind-swept heights. And Vazhukka, a…
Live market rate
Today's cardamom price
See the latest cardamom rate, daily range and recent trend from verified mandi & auction sources.
Other cardamom varieties
From the Western Ghats
Buy clean, graded cardamom from AroWest
AroWest is the spice & aromatics label of Western Crest Ventures LLP — hand-cleaned, sorted, sealed and traceable harvests from Idukki and the wider Western Ghats. Registered LLP · Udyam (MSME) · FSSAI · GST.